After last weekend’s winning accumulator I’ve been busy scouring and researching and I’ve found the four selections I most fancy to replicate the success of my last Scottish accumulator.

By this time next week we’ll have seen the first round of Premiership fixtures completed and every side having played each other, but we’ve got two full rounds to get stuck into before then. Not only do we have the top flight this weekend and coming midweek, but there’s Championship and League One games to dive into too, as well as the second round of the Scottish Cup on Saturday. I won’t be dipping my toe in the Scottish Cup water just yet but I’ve gone for my four favourite selections from Saturday’s action, starting at Parkhead.

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Celtic v St. Johnstone

I mentioned in last week’s accumulator write-up that it looked like Celtic were finally beginning to turn that corner and, actually, really clicking into gear under Ange Postecoglou. And after two wins over the past seven days, I might just be right. Postecoglou’s all action style was too much for both Motherwell and Ferencvaros and it should prove to difficult for a stuttering Perth Saints side to cope with this time around.

St. Johnstone’s record at Celtic Park is pretty dreadful (as are most side’s records when facing the green half of Glasgow away from home in fairness) and their last away win against the Celts came back in 2015, a whopping 11 games ago. They’ve taken a few pastings in that time too and though they’re coming off a dream season, their form has been patchy at best this season. Callum Davidson’s men were interrupted by European ties over the opening weeks of the season and though they’ve picked up slightly since then, their two wins have come against (near) crisis clubs in the shape of Aberdeen and Dundee. A 3-0 home loss last weekend to Livi was as hilarious (see some of their defending) as it was worrying and does hint towards it being a tough campaign for the men from Perth.

And it could be about to get a lot more difficult. Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi both look a cut above and are beginning to click in what could be an utterly devasting partnership not just in pursuit of ousting Rangers at the top of the table, but in Europe too. Georgios Giakoumakis and Mickey Johnston impressed in their cameos off the bench during the week, adding to the weapons in Postecoglou’s attacking arsenal. They could really batter St. Johnstone this weekend and begin to close the gap on those above them.

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Dundee United v Motherwell

One such side is Tam Courts’ efficient Dundee United. Fresh off taking Hibs to the cleaners in Edinburgh last weekend, United are currently occupying third spot, nestled in nicely alongside some bigger names. Though Motherwell find themselves in the right half of the table coming into this one, United should have enough to at least avoid defeat, if not add yet another three points.

United’s success has been built on their resolute defence – of the 134 sides that make up the top four divisions in England and Scotland, only three (Chelsea, Man City and Inverness) sides have conceded fewer than United’s five this season – but their three-goal return in the capital last weekend shows there’s more to their game than shut-outs. It’s testament to the quality of coaching exhibited by Courts that the likes of Ian Harkes, Peter Pawlett and Kieran Freeman have all played key roles this season, having failed to really assert themselves at Tannadice prior to his arrival. The mood around the club looks brilliant just now and that feel-good factor should be enhanced by another successful outing this weekend.

I touched on Motherwell’s record this season in last weekend’s Scottish acca so I’ll not flog a dead horse too much (did I mention it won?) but they’ve accumulated 12 of their 14 points against the current bottom four, with none of Livi, Aberdeen, Dundee or County as good as this United team. The Well do have a decent attack but the likes of Ryan Edwards, Charlie Mulgrew and Benji Siegrist should be able to neutralise it and allow the more attacking players to secure the three points at Tannadice this Saturday.

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Kilmarnock v Hamilton

So, it’s off to the Championship for the remaining two selections on this weekend’s accumulator with no League Two to choose from (Kelty Hearts To Win how I miss you) and the third tier looking a tricky card to choose from. This, though, at Rugby Park should be fairly routine, with an in-form and talented Killie entertaining a pretty dreadful Accies side.

I touched upon the signing of Callum Hendry being a bit of a gamechanger for Killie and two goals in his opening two games since his arrival suggests he could be a real asset in Tommy Wright’s men’s hunt for an immediate return to the Premiership. Already he looks to have strung up a good rapport with his strike partner Oli Shaw, in what is a partnership that has a sky-high potential. The two of them should cause carnage in the Championship this season, especially with the likes of Chris Burke, Rory McKenzie and Fraser Murray to set them up and they should have a bit of a field day against the worst defence across the entirety of the SPFL.

That unenviable record is down in no small part to last weekend’s 6-1 pasting at home to Partick, but Hamilton’s defence has looked creaky since the start of the season. The two sides met in the third week of the campaign and Killie ran out convincing 2-0 winners (as they did in last season’s last two Premiership meetings between the two as they both ended up getting relegated) and it should likely prove to be even more comfortable this time around as Killie aim to put pressure on at least one of the two sides above them, with title rivals Raith and Caley playing each other this weekend.

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Partick Thistle v Dunfermline

The final selection of the acca takes us to the Championship’s entertainers in the shape of Partick Thistle, who welcome basement boys Dunfermline in what could be a lively affair with both more than capable in front of goal.

That may sound ridiculous given Dunfermline have mustered just six goals in nine Championship games this season but they do have enough talent to not just help us out with a goal or two against a far from water tight Partick defence today but pull themselves out of the relegation spots over the coming weeks. The do posses the worst defensive record behind the porous Hamilton but scoring twice at Killie last time out does show shoots of recovery for Peter Grant’s beleaguered Pars.

The majority, if not all, of the three needed goals should come from the hosts, though. Partick have banged in at least seven more goals than any side in the Championship and are the top scoring side in the SPFL this season, testament to the way Ian McCall sets his side up. Eight of their nine Championship games have seen at least three goals scored this season, with those games witnessing a whopping total of 37 goals (that’s a goal roughly every 22 minutes, or four a game). Three will do fine and in all honesty, they could easily get them all against this Dunfermline side but I wouldn’t bet against the visitors chipping in here.

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18+ please gamble responsibly. All odds displayed correct at the time of publishing.

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Last week’s Scottish Accumulator was a winner ✅

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish Accumulator WINS!

I posted it on my predictions blog and I’m happy to see a lot of you backed it!

✅ Celtic win
✅ Inverness win
✅ O2.5 in Raith v Arbroath
✅ O2.5 in Clyde v Montrose

Then are posted weekly as well as other content here: https://t.co/qGPCBxD4ry

— Andy’s Football Tips (@AndyRobsonTips) October 16, 2021

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