There was festive cheer aplenty for some teams in Scotland’s top flight this weekend, whilst others were left with coal in their stockings. Another action-packed set of fixtures in the Scottish Premiership took place between Saturday and Boxing Day, as the teams head towards the final stretch of fixtures, before the winter break.
Here are five things we learned from the weekend’s games.
Sam Cosgrove Ballon D’Or?
Realistically he might not be near that accolade, but the former Carlisle striker is turning himself into a cult hero at Pittodrie.
The Aberdeen striker has netted seven goals in his five games and scored again in Aberdeen’s 4-3 home defeat to Celtic. He’s started slowly, but that will be quickly forgotten about, if he continues to score at the rate he is just now.
Motherwell now have relegation fears
The Fir Park side could have moved 12 points clear of relegation spots on Saturday. Instead they are now only six points above them after Boxing Day.
Motherwell lack any sort of creativity going forward. Simeon Jackson and Jordan Jones made them pay, as the Steelmen went down 1-0 to struggling St Mirren on Saturday, and Kilmarnock on the Wednesday. Motherwell can’t afford to lose against Hamilton before the break.
St Mirren aren’t down just yet
On the flip side of Motherwell’s agony, there was joy for the Buddies. Oran Kearney’s men secured their first away victory of the season at Fir Park.
They weren’t pretty, but they were certainly effective, with Motherwell not able to break them down throughout the match. If Kearney can get his side to show the same defensive grit in future matches, St Mirren might not be doomed just yet.
Kamberi has precious minutes to perform
A major hit last season, The Swiss striker has fallen off the charts this season. Since making his move from Grasshoppers permanent in the summer, Hibs boss Neil Lennon has been disappointed with Kamberi.
He hasn’t managed to hit the heights of last season.Kamberi has now been warned by Lennon, he faces the axe if he can’t reach the standard expected of him.
He’s done this in the past with Simon Murray and Anthony Stokes. There’s no evidence to suggest Lennon won’t do the same to Kamberi.
Dee rely on Kenny Miller
If Dundee’s games against Livingston and Celtic showed us anything, it’s how reliant the Dee are on veteran striker Kenny Miller.
Miller had been on fine form heading into these fixtures, netting seven in the previous five fixtures.
He was misfiring against the Champions on Saturday, before looking even more hopeless against Livi. It shows how much Jim McIntyre’s side rely on the veteran striker, as the Dee didn’t score in either of these games.
McIntyre has to find Miller a strike partner in January if he wants his Dundee side to stay up.