Mid-term Scottish football report cards are in - what moves Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs et al will make next

With the conclusion of Sunday’s full Premiership card, all 12 teams moved past the halfway stage of the league campaign in terms of matches played.

We look at where each club is right now and what business is required in January to boost their fortunes.

1st - Celtic (53 points from 20 games)

Brendan Rodgers’ men have a 13-point lead at the top of the Premiership and look well on course to retain their crown. There will be no invincible domestic season after losing the Old Firm derby with Rangers last week, but that 3-0 defeat will likely be minor stain on their campaign unless fortunes dip dramatically.

Always looking to upgrade his squad, Rodgers has gone on record saying he wants to improve his attacking options in January. However, the biggest rumour circles around Scotland defender Kieran Tierney, who is free to leave Arsenal and reportedly on the verge of agreeing a pre-contract agreement with Celtic. It is another show of strength from the country’s top dogs, who are miles - in fact, lightyears - ahead of the rest.

Celtic have a 13-point lead at the top of the Premiership. | SNS Group

2nd - Rangers (40 points from 20 games)

Last week’s triumph over Celtic will live long in the memory for Rangers fans but the reality right now is that Philippe Clement’s men are far too inconsistent, especially away from Ibrox, to mount a title challenge. Sunday’s 3-3 draw at Hibs means they have dropped points seven times in ten road trips. You cannot win leagues with that kind of record.

Nor, unfortunately, can you do so with Rangers’ current injury record. Jack Butland, James Tavernier, John Souttar, Leon Balogun, Neraysho Kasanwirjo, Dujon Sterling and Tom Lawrence are just some of the names on the treatment table. Rangers clearly need reinforcements this month, but do they have the cash to do sufficient business? They are six points clear in second place and look booked for that berth despite some ills.

Rangers won the Old Firm clash but are languishing behind Celtic. | SNS Group

3rd - Dundee United (34 points from 21 games)

While Sunday’s limp 1-0 home defeat by Hearts was a sore one, it cannot take away the great restoration job their manager Jim Goodwin has done on his own reputation and his team. This time last year, the Tangerines were embroiled in a difficult Championship title battle with Raith Rovers, but have kicked on strongly since then.

Goodwin has stated that despite being third, the goal remains the same for a newly-promoted team: survival. Given the competitive nature of the league from third to 11th, a dip in current standards would make them susceptible to those beneath, but the reality is that this well-drilled team with the league’s top scorer in Sam Dalby is doing very well. No major business is expected at Tannadice over the coming weeks due to this.

Sam Dalby has been a key player for Dundee United. | SNS Group

4th - Aberdeen (34 points from 21 games)

Eleven games into this season, Aberdeen were unbeaten under new manager Jimmy Thelin and keeping pace with Celtic. The collapse from November onwards has been galling - the Dons have not won in nine matches and have lost hold of third place, never mind second. Sapped of confidence and leaking lots of goals, their campaign has flipped on its head.

The truth is that Aberdeen were overperforming at the beginning and are now underperforming. Thelin needs to find some middle ground, hence why he will be active in January. Defence appears a particular issue, given that none of his three centre-halves - Slobodan Rubezic, Gavin Molloy and Angus MacDonald - are in good form. Preston winger Jeppe Okkels has signed on loan and Latvian defender Kristers Tobers is expected to join in the coming days, with more to follow.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin needs to get his team on an even keel. | SNS Group

5th - Motherwell (30 points from 21 games)

When Motherwell put in two dire performance at the start of December against Hibs (0-3) and Dundee (1-4), Stuart Kettlewell’s men had a decision to make: be a team battling in the bottom six or eye up the European places. They have since done the latter, beating Aberdeen and Dundee United plus drawing with Rangers.

In Lennon Miller, they have one of Scottish football’s brightest prospects - although he could be missing for some time due to injury. Ironically, it may assist their cause in terms of keeping him at the club until the end of the season. Kettlewell has been dealt a rough hand with injuries this term but handily placed in the table, the mission will be to stay on the coattails of those above them.

Lennon Miller has been one of Motherwell's best players this season. | SNS Group

6th - St Mirren (27 points from 22 games)

Look at St Mirren’s recent form lines and it tells you how much of a streaky team they have been: won two, lost two, won three, lost three. Manager Stephen Robinson has managed to arrest mini slumps and they still sit in a promising position as they look to build upon qualifying for Europe last season.

There’s already been a change of goalkeeper in January - Zach Hemming returns, with Ellery Balcombe back at Brentford - and a new striker to the tune of nearly £150,000 in Owen Oseni from Gateshead. Robinson wants to reinforce his team with a mounting pack behind him. A third successive top-six finish would be quite the achievement for the Buddies.

Zach Hemming is back at St Mirren as their No 1 keeper. | SNS Group

7th - Hibs (26 points from 22 games)

A recent unbeaten six-game run - including an away win over Hearts and a draw against Rangers - has pulled Hibs away from bottom spot in the league. Head coach David Gray has assuaged fears of the sack and players such as Nicky Cadden, Martin Boyle and Jack Iredale have come to the fore.

Hibs will bring in new players to assist their charge up the table and that could be the difference between a genuine push for the European places or a scrappy battle to get into the top six. Goalkeeper and a striker remain priorities for a club that has managed crisis well this term already.

Hibs head coach David Gray has recovered after a bad start. | SNS Group

8th - Dundee (25 points from 21 games)

Tony Docherty’s team have not quite hit the heights of last season, but a very impressive 3-1 win over St Johnstone on Sunday was a good response to a sore derby defeat by Dundee United. They naturally miss the talismanic presence of Luke McCowan, who moved to Celtic in the summer, although the emergence of Lyall Cameron in midfield is a boost.

Dundee’s issues clearly come at the back. They have only kept one clean sheet all season and new recruits to resolve that issue must be Docherty’s January priority.

Dundee manager Tony Docherty will want to tighten up his defence. | SNS Group

9th - Ross County (25 points from 22 games)

Sitting on a 481-day winless run away from home on Boxing Day, Don Cowie’s Staggies have now won three matches away from Dingwall on the spin - including at tricky venues such as Pittodrie and Rugby Park. Usually a resolute team at home, it had been their travel sickness that made them a prime candidate for relegation.

Still very much involved in the melee between 11th and sixth, the Staggies can breathe easier with a ten-point cushion between them and bottom-placed St Johnstone. January spending from owner Roy MacGregor has often been required to stave off the drop and they will need to keep pace with those around them.

Ross County have cured their recent travel sickness. | SNS Group

10th - Kilmarnock (24 points from 22 games)

Killie finished fourth last season, so to find themselves at the wrong end of the table will be galling for their fans. Derek McInnes has been unable to get a consistent run of form from his players - not helped by a shocking crime count of eight red cards.

With captain and key striker Kyle Vassell on the sidelines due to injury, McInnes may need to replenish a squad that has stayed largely the same for 18 months now this month to make an assault on the top six.

Kilmarnock have an injury worry over Kyle Vassell. | SNS Group

11th - Hearts (23 points from 22 games)

Head coach Neil Critchley took over when Hearts had just two points to their name, so while they still sit 11th, he is getting enough out of a squad he inherited from Steven Naismith. Decent progress in the league has been undermined by a meek exit from the UEFA Conference League and a derby loss at home to Hibs, with some fans very restless.

Critchley should only be truly judged once he has some of his own players to work with. Defender Jamie McCart and striker Elton Kabangu are already in the building. More will follow. The quality of signing, via the Jamestown Analytics database, will go a long way to framing Hearts’ second half of the season.

Hearts are looking to improve under Neil Critchley. | SNS Group

12th - St Johnstone (15 points from 22 games)

The festive period has not been kind to St Johnstone. They failed to win a game in that five-matchday period and as a result are eight points adrift at the bottom of the table. Even at this stage of the season, it is a worrying gap.

Craig Levein was replaced by Simo Valakari as manager earlier in the campaign. The Finn is trying to play a more progressive, attacking style of football - but the reality is that his defence is not strong enough to be expansive on the ball. Saints need new players in to suit his style, otherwise it is hard to see them prolonging their 16-year stay in Scotland’s top flight.