Dundee derby & Kettlewell back at Fir Park - Scottish Premiership picks

Following a woeful week in Europe for our Scottish clubs, focus returns to the safe, steady and serene Scottish Premiership.

Aye, right.

Celtic and Rangers set the tone midweek and they will no doubt dominate the discourse in the coming days too given they meet at Ibrox on Sunday, but we are here to take a look at what else is going on in Scotland's top flight this weekend.

There's a derby outside of Glasgow, a manager returning to his old stomping ground and a striker stewing over a sitter. And that is barely scratching the surface...

For some, the real derby of the weekend is at Dens Park. It needs no introduction.

If Sunday's edition is anything like the last Dundee derby - when the Dark Blues won at Tannadice in March for the first time since 2004 - we are in for a treat.

Then guided by Tony Docherty, Dundee stunned their neighbours with an astounding first-half performance that had them three goals to the good. How new head coach Steven Pressley would love for that to be replicated at Dens this weekend.

Despite an atrocious start to life in the dugout, former United defender Pressley appears to have steadied the ship with back-to-back draws at Ibrox and Rugby Park.

A first home win for Pressley, particularly one against their neighbours, would provide "an enormous lift" and be something of a statement, given many predicted he would be given his jotters by now.

But, perhaps more importantly of all, it would provide bragging rights down Tannadice Street, with the Dark Blues eyeing three successive wins against Jim Goodwin's side.

It is a very new-look United though this season. Some might say this is the real baptism of fire for many of Goodwin's summer recruits.

How many have walked up the road for a game before?

Tangerine fans will be hoping striker Zac Sapsford is one of those making the jaunt up the hill.

The Australian sustained an ankle injury as United exited the Conference League against Rapid Vienna and, despite being set for up to four weeks out, Goodwin said the club are "giving him every chance" to make the derby.

Given the raft of changes in both ranks, the early-season encounter and the search for both sides' first win of the league season, a belter is surely on its way. Strap in.

The flight home from Bucharest must have felt like a trip around the world for Ester Sokler and his Aberdeen team-mates.

The Dons dropped out of the Europa League and into the Conference League in agonising fashion as a first-half red card and penalty for FCSB turned the finely-poised play-off tie in favour of the Romanian champions.

In the aftermath of that painful defeat, manager Jimmy Thelin and defender Mats Knoester were quick to stress that "game-changing" decision was not an excuse, but it sure scuppered their chances.

As did Sokler's sitter inside the opening two minutes.

Handed a start after his thundering header in the first-leg at Pittodrie hauled Aberdeen level, the Slovenian had the chance to slot his side ahead for the first time in the tie when the ball broke to him in the six-yard box.

The effort was timid and time proved it to be costly.

The big striker struggles for consistency and starting berths, but had that gone in, it just might have been the launchpad he needed.

He was sacrificed at half-time as Jimmy Thelin shuffled his pack following Alexander Jensen's dismissal. Plenty of time to ponder that missed opportunity.

A challenging Conference League campaign now awaits the Dons, but not before they attempt to pick up their first league win of the season against newly-promoted Falkirk.

Despite Stuart Kettlewell's comments leading up to the match, Kilmarnock's trip to Motherwell on Saturday is about him.

It is the first time the Killie boss returns to Fir Park following his resignation in January, when he cited fan abuse as a factor.

"I've been back to an old club before," Kettlewell said. "It's something that happens in football.

"I try to act as professional as I can. It's not about me. I hope you all know that I have never felt this is about me. I believe in being humble and not having an ego."

In response, his opposite number, Jens Berthel Askou, insists Kettlewell "deserves respect" on his return.

The former Ross County midfielder has had a steady start to life at Rugby Park, with three successive draws to kick-off the Premiership season - the same as Motherwell.

Could his first win as Kilmarnock manager come back at his old stomping ground?