Sunday navel gazing after a bruising midweek in Europe is becoming all too familiar for Scottish football, but this time Motherwell and Hibernian can look forward to second legs with some real hopes of progress, albeit in the third-tier Conference League qualifiers.
The Lanarkshire side will hope to finish off the job after a 1-1 draw away to HJK Helskini as they continue to earn plaudits for the style of play adopted last season by Jens Berthel Askou and adapted by new manager Alfred Johansson.
However, they will have to improve first on their record against Falkirk, who have won on their latest three visits to Fir Park and have not lost to Well in six meetings.
Since a 1-0 win over Well at Falkirk Stadium in May, though, John McGlynn’s side have lost four in a row in the Premiership.
Hibs’ 2-1 win over North Macedonians Shkendija was a bit of struggle, but at least it was better than their opening defeat at home to Well.
Now they travel to Glasgow looking to become the first-ever side to win in consecutive league games at Ibrox after winning 2-1 there in May.
Indeed, Hibs have won on two of their last three league visits and another would heap more pressure on new Rangers manager Derek McInnes after Thursday’s defeat in Poland.
That will be especially so should Celtic, who could be without O’Neill despite the manager being released from hospital, secure a ninth win in a row over Kilmarnock and a ninth league win in a row overall to create a healthy early lead over their title rivals.
The odds of that must be good considering the Ayrshire side, who lost their opener to St Johnstone, have failed to win their first two top-flight games in 12 of the previous 15 seasons.
Similarly, Hearts cannot afford a third consecutive league defeat – having lost last season’s decider against Celtic then their opener with Aberdeen – if they are to mount a similar challenge to the one under McInnes last term.
They have not won on Dundee United’s last three visits to Tynecastle and further questions will be asked of new head coach Wouter Vrancken if they suffer a fifth straight defeat.
The Belgian’s side have lost 14 goals in those four games and will not be helped by centre-half Stuart Findlay’s suspension, but United have themselves not kept a clean sheet in 17 away games in the Premiership and have kept the fewest away clean sheets of any side since the start of last season.
It could be a goal fest at Tynecastle.
