Charlie Adam is a surprise addition to the Rangers squad for Motherwell's visit having previously been ruled out for the season through injury.

Fellow midfielders Lee McCulloch and DaMarcus Beasley are likewise close to fitness but miss out against Well along with injured goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

Ross McCormack, Stephen Hughes and Simon Lappin are likely to return to Motherwell's starting line-up Ibrox.  However, captain Paul Quinn misses the rest of the season with a broken jaw.

Rangers are undefeated against Motherwell this season, winning two and drawing one. Both teams are in need of the points, so a tight game is expected. Rangers must be careful not to incur too many bookings or injuries, as they have 2 tough games coming up in the next seven days.

On Saturday they face Dundee United at home (a team also chasing the Eufa spot), then 4 days later face Zenit St Petersburg in the Uefa Cup final in Manchester.

Motherwell have only won 2 (one of those against Celtic) of their last 7 games and drawn 1. Scoring has been proving a problem with only four goals scored and 11 conceded.

Rangers have not had an easy time of late. Back to back defeats to Celtic, a disappointing performance against Hibernian and long drawn out games against St Johnstone and Fiorentina (both games going to penalties) are surely taking their toll on the Ibrox side. However, they're on a high: two cup finals coming up, and a strong possibility of winning the league.

I predict a Rangers win: 2-0

Inverness Caley piled more misery on the all-ready relegated Gretna, thumping six goals past the Anvils. In front of just over 3,600 fans, The Highlanders went in front with barely 37 seconds on the clock when Tokely released Cowie on the right and his cross was finished well by Imrie 12 yards out. Despite clawing backa goal in the 27th minute, further goals from Wilson, Cowie, Tokely and Vigurs rounded off the day and completed a clean sweep of victories for Brewster's side over Gretna this season. 

Celtic continued their challenge to win the league by beating third placed Motherwell by 2 goals to 1. Despite taking the lead on 60 minutes through Porter, quick replies from Celtic's McDonald and Samaras made the points safe for Strachans side.

St Mirren took the points in the basement battle against Kilmarnock at Love Street. With little to play for (both sides are assured SPL status next season thanks to Gretna's woeful performance), the game was a tepid affair with little goalmouth action to speak of and  it took a last minute goal from Will Haining to make the difference.

Hibernian and Rangers played out a goalless draw which probably meant more for Hibs than for Rangers, themselves now moving to within seven points of league leaders Celtic. Hibs are now level on points with fourth placed Dundee United, who lost away to Aberdeen.

Falkirk and Hearst play later on this evening (19:45)

Weekend Results

Aberdeen 2-1 Dundee Utd
Inverness CT 6-1 Gretna
Motherwell 1-2 Celtic
St Mirren 1-0 Kilmarnock
Hibernian 0-0 Rangers

Upcoming fixtures

Aberdeen recorded only their second win this season against Dundee United at Pittodrie today, making it three home wins in a row and pushing hard to make a late claim for a Uefa Cup spot.

Aberdeen started with Touzani, Scott Severin and Andrew Considine in the back due to injuries adn suspensions, and they were kept busy as United made the livelier start. But goals from Richard Foster and Karim Touzani secured all three points for the Dons, with a Danny Swanson goal for the visitors rounding off an entertaining match.

With Motherwell losing, and Hibs not playing until tomorrow, Aberdeen are now three points from third spot. Our next game is away to Motherwell on the 10th May.

Aberdeen: Langfield, Duff, Severin, Considine, Foster, De Visscher (Lovell 87), Nicholson (Bus 79), Touzani, Young, Miller, Maguire (Walker 73). Subs Not Used: Soutar, Ross.

Booked: Foster, Miller.

Goals: Foster 30, Touzani 48.

Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Dillon, Wilkie, Dods, Grainger, Flood, Kerr (O'Brien 79), Swanson, Gomis (Daly 84), Hunt (Johnny Russell 46), De Vries. Subs Not Used: McLean, Robertson, Kovacevic, Odhiambo.

Booked: Grainger, Dods.

Goal: Swanson 49.

Att: 10,312 , Ref: B Winter

Dundee United travel to Pittodrie tomorrow for the last 'New Firm' derby of the season, knowing that a win is vital to keep up their challenge for European football next season. With The Terrors one point behind third placed Motherwell every game is vital now for Craig Leveins side. Aberdeen meanwhile are in with an outside chance of European football next season but must rely on other teams to get results for them.

Dundee United have the edge over Aberdeen this season, playing four in all competitions, winning three and losing one, inflicting two particularly heavy defeats along the way:

League Cup Aberdeen      1-4 Dundee United
SPL        Dundee United 3-0 Aberdeen 
SPL        Aberdeen      2-0 Dundee United
SPL        Dundee United 1-0 Aberdeen

With defenders Lee Mair and Zander Diamond missing through injury and suspension along with other absentees Darren Mackie, Richie Byrne and Jamie Smith, on-loan defender Alan Maybury’s injury adds another challenge to Calderwood’s plans for tomorrow.

But while third spot in the SPL is still a possibility, Calderwood’s focus is firmly on next season following the expected departure of six players from the Pittodrie side. Having signed Oldham’s former Kilmarnock midfielder Gary McDonald on a pre-contract, he is hoping to have more new recruits secured before the end of the campaign. Dutch youngster Dyon Camero has impressed in his short trail. The 19-year-old FC Zutphen forward will go back to Holland on Sunday, but could return.  Aberdeen defender Alan Maybury’s suspected fractured rib could rule him out for the rest of the season but it will not affect his chances of securing a permanent move to Pittodrie. The on-loan Leicester City player'sloan deal runs out at the end of the campaign, as does his contract at Leicester, but Dons manager Jimmy Calderwood is hoping to make the Republic of Ireland international an integral part of his squad for next season.

Prediction: Aberdeen are unbeaten in their last seven home games, and have not drawn in their last five, whilst United have not win away in three and drawn their last three games.  A tight home win for Aberdeen.

Aberdeen (from): Langfield, Considine, Bus, Touzani, Foster, Walker, Severin, Duff, De Visscher, Young, Lovell, Miller, Maguire, Aluko, Jonathan Smith, Pawlett, Jack, Soutar.

Dundee United (from): Zaluska, Dillon, Dods, Kenneth, Grainger, Wilkie, Kalvenes, Conway, Swanson, Kerr, Flood, Robb, Gomis, Buaben, Hunt, De Vries, O'Brien, Odhiambo, Daly, Robertson, Kovacevic, McLean.

I cant remember a time in recent history when the finish to the SPL has been this exciting. With Celtic currently leading their Old Firm rivals by five points, hopes of winning three titles in a row for the first time since the last of their nine back-to-back championships in 1974 must be high in the East End of Glasgow. Rangers though have three games in hand, but like Celtic face a few difficult games in the coming three weeks.

Usually at this stage of the season, the Old Firm are far ahead of the pack, and the race for third place is generally sewn up as well. But this year, three teams - Motherwell, Dundee United and Hibernian and, as an outside chance, possibly Aberdeen - are within 2 points of each other and need the points to secure that valuable third place and the UEFA Cup spot that comes with it.

Both Celtic and Rangers will be travelling to play these sides over the coming weeks, with every game and every result worth fighting for. Motherwell and Dundee United wont meet again this season, so both teams will have to rely on results elsewhere to give them the advantage.

United's record against Rangers has not been bad this season: two high scoring draws, a win and a loss. Against Celtic however, the Tannadice club has not fared so well, losing twice and drawing once. In fact, Dundee United have not beaten Celtic since 1999 when goals by Billy Dodds and Craig Easton secured a 2-1 win.

Motherwell have lost two games and drawn one against Rangers this season, and need to look back to the Boxing Day game back in 2002 for their last win. Against Celtic, the Steelmen have recording one victory in this campaign, when a Simon Lapin goal on 33 minutes secured the three points.

Rangers are playing well and have a game in hand, but I cant see Celtic slipping up now. Despite having a trophy-less season so far, the momentum is with the Parkhead side. Rangers will have the added distraction of a tricky away fixture to Fiorentina in the UEFA Cup semi-final this evening and must hope that there are no serious injuries.

With Chelsea reaching the final of the Champions League last night, there is an additional motivator to win the SPL: the possiblity of a 12 million pound payout for the team finishing top in 3 weeks time.

My prediction: Celtic to win the League, Motherwell to finish third as a perfect end to an emotional season for the Fir Park side.

Aberdeen have signed Oldham and former Kilmarnock midfielder Gary McDonald on a pre-contract agreement. In his 87 appearances for the Lancashire club, the Irvine born player has scored 12 goals. He turned down a two year extension to his contract and is said to be delighted to play back in his native Scotland again.

Manager Jimmy Calderwood continues to strengthen his squad for next season, following the clearout of several first team regulars. Barry Nicholson will join Richie Byrne and Dave Bus, striker Lee Miller and keepers Derek Soutar and Greg Kelly on the transfer list of the Pittodrie club. Former Celtic and Wolves player Jackie McNamara has left the club by mutual consent. Forward Sone Aluko will return to Birmingham City at the end of his loan, while the future of midfielder Josh Walker has yet to be decided by Middlesbrough. Both players are hopefully back in the North East next season.

The Aberdeen fans are keenly awaiting the clubs dealings in the transfer market in the upcoming months. With up to six players leaving, a massive rebuilding will need to take place in order to repeat the relative success of the season just passed (a good domestic cup run and a top-half finish). But with transfer money always an issue and the difficulty in competing against the higher wages and glamour of the Old Firm or the Championship, Jimmy Calderwood's job in attracting players to Pittodrie will be a tough one.

Aye aye, and welcome to "On Any Given Saturday", a blog about Aberdeen FC in particular, football north of the border in general and football from "the ither part 'o Britain" in passing.

On these pages I hope to bring you news, previews and reviews (along with any unfounded rumours I come across) about my favourite club as well as keeping you up to date with the general day-to-day goings on in the football world here in Scotland.