Scottish Premiership PREVIEW 1 Aug 2026: Aberdeen host Hearts, beaten home and away by Sturm Graz

Two Premiership fixtures on Saturday, and the larger of them is Aberdeen at home to Hearts. Aberdeen spent July in the Premier Sports Cup: a 2-0 win at Brora on 14 July, a 2-1 home win over Queen's Park on 18 July, a 4-1 win at Queen of the South on 22 July and a 3-0 home win over Kelty on 25 July.

Hearts arrive from Europe, and from two defeats by Sturm Graz. The Austrians won the first leg 4-0 at home on 21 July, Jon Gorenc Stankovic scoring on four minutes, Jeyland Mitchell on 50, Luca Weinhandl on 53 and Jurgen Heil on 59. Hearts lost the return 2-0 at home on 28 July, S. Seidl scoring on 64 minutes and E. Soglo on 68.

The other fixture is Falkirk at home to St Mirren. Falkirk's Premier Sports Cup group ran a 5-0 win at Edinburgh City on 11 July, a 1-0 home defeat by Ayr United on 14 July, a 1-1 draw at Alloa Athletic on 21 July and a 3-0 home win over Stranraer on 25 July; Ayr, the side who beat them, won at Stranraer, won at Falkirk, and won at home to Edinburgh City and Alloa.

St Mirren's cup group started well and finished badly: 4-0 winners at Dumbarton on 11 July and 4-0 again at Cove Rangers on 18 July, they edged East Kilbride 4-3 at home on 21 July, then lost their last group game 1-0 at home to Dunfermline Athletic on 26 July, Chris Kane scoring on 88 minutes.