Defender Gary Caldwell and midfielder Scott Brown are suspended for title-chasing Celtic's trip to sixth-placed Aberdeen on Saturday. Bobo Balde could replace Caldwell in defence.

Wednesday's defeat of Rangers took its toll on Gordon Strachan's side, with doubts emerging over the availability of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Lee Naylor, Aiden McGeady and Paul Hartley.

Jamie Langfield will return in goal for Aberdeen, with Derek Soutar leaving Pittodrie at the end of the season.

Karim Touzani joins Richie Byrne, Jamie Smith (both hamstring) and Lee Mair (thigh) on the sidelines, while Derek Young and Darren Mackie are expected to overcome knocks.

Falkirk (7) v Gretna (12)

Defender Kenny Milne is out for the season following knee surgery and Falkirk will also be without Dean Holden (broken leg) and Brian Allison (fractured foot).

There are doubts over Tam Scobbie, Gerard Aafjes and Dayne Robertson but captain Darren Barr should be fit to play after sustaining dislocated fingers.

Gretna have suffered an injury blow with the loss of midfielder and captain Paul Murray, who broke a rib in last week's game against St Mirren and will be out for at least two weeks.

Poland Under-19 goalkeeper Artur Krysiak returns to the squad after returning from international duty.

Hearts (8) v St Mirren (11)

Hearts interim head coach Stevie Frail has been boosted by the return of Lithuanian defender Marius Zaliukas following illness.

Frail could hand a first team start to youngster Jason Thomson with right-back Robbie Neilson suspended. Neil McCann, Bruno Aguiar and Mauricio Pinilla are still sidelined.

St Mirren boss Gus MacPherson must cope without the suspended Hugh Murray, while David van Zanten is also ruled out after knee surgery.

Gary Mason returns to the squad after a back injury and could feature.

Inverness CaledonianThistle (9) v Kilmarnock (10)

Inverness welcome back club captain Grant Munro from suspension but Russell Duncan is still banned and Phil McGuire is out for the season having undergone groin surgery on Monday.

Killie will be forced into making changes. Frazer Wright has undergone an ankle operation, while Alan Morgan, Craig Bryson and Willie Gibson have undergone hernia surgery.

Allan Johnston has a knock and misses out, while Martyn Corrigan is a doubtful starter.

SUNDAY

Dundee United (4) v Hibernian (5)

Darren Dods had been virtually ruled out of the clash after appearing to have aggravated a muscle injury in his foot, but he stunned manager Craig Levein by returning to training on Friday.

That is good news for the United boss, who was preparing to send out a makeshift defence with Garry Kenneth suspended.

Influential midfielder Guillaume Beuzelin returns for Hibs after a knee injury but midfielder Brian Kerr (ankle) is out and boss Mixu Paatelainen faces a potential defensive problem with captain Rob Jones banned and Chris Hogg (knee) a major doubt.

Yves Ma-Kalambay and Andrew McNeil are vying to start in goal.

Sporting Life / Eurosport