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October already, and with only 1 game to go, Scotland's chances of qualifying for Euro 2008 are still in their own hands. However England must now hope that results go their way. Not many people would have predicted this outcome, and when Italy come calling, every single Scottish fan will be glued to the T.V!!

Anyway, its back to the SPL this weekend, and whether the break helped Caley Thistle, we won't know until Sunday. After 13 meetings between the teams, ICT are still searching for a win. Whether it is Wyness's wonder 100th goal, Niculae's first ever SPL goal or Brewster against his old club that wins it, it doesn't matter really, as long as someone does. It will also be interesting to see if Michael Fraser keeps the no.1 jersey after the blunders at Kilmarnock.

DETAILS

Inverness CT v Aberdeen

Tulloch Caledonian Stadium

Sunday 20^th October @ 2pm

LIVE on Setanta Sports

SPL

Referee: Eddie Smith

Others: Stuart Macaulay, Craig Young (Assistants), Scott MacDonald (4^th official)

FIXTURES

Saturday 20^th October:

Rangers v Celtic (Setanta, 12:30pm)

Falkirk v Kilmarnock

Hearts v Dundee Utd

Motherwell v Hibernian

St Mirren v Gretna

Sunday 21^st October:

Inverness CT v Aberdeen (Setanta, 2pm)

THE SPL SO FAR

With 9 games gone already this season, the table is starting to take shape with teams realising what sort of battle they will be doing with teams around them. But few would have guessed that the only unbeaten team left in the league is…….Hibernian.

Celtic tops the table, but only by a point over Hibernian. None of the 4 teams that have gone to Celtic Park so far have scored. Even though Rangers had an impressive start, they have now lost 2 games and find themselves in 3^rd. Dundee Utd, Hearts, Motherwell, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen have all had decent starts, with all of them hitting double figures on points. Then there is a 4 point gap to Falkirk, St Mirren and Inverness CT and then there is Gretna alone at the bottom. Inverness CT lost their first 6 games in a row but 7pts in 3 games have got us back to where we should be; within touching distance of the top-six. With Gretna playing St Mirren on Saturday, things could get interesting.

So the first Old Firm derby is a big one, with Rangers now 3 pts behind, they cannot afford to go 6pts behind so early.

What has been pleasing though so far this season is Scottish clubs results in Europe . Rangers and Celtic have both started brilliantly in their respective Champions League groups and Aberdeen starts their UEFA Cup group stage next week. The question is, will European football affect these teams’ performances in the SPL?? Only time will tell!!

PAST MEETINGS

The teams have played a total of 13 times (9 League, 4 Cup) with 23 goals (7 Inverness CT, 16 Aberdeen ) between them.

Draws: 7 (6 League, 1 Cup)

SOME PREVIOUS MEETINGS

In the first game between the sides it was a Billy Dodds hat-trick that gave the top-flight side the win. Inverness CT was a 2^nd Division side at the time.

After the excellent achievements of beating Celtic at Parkhead in the previous round, the gift was a home-tie against Aberdeen which was screened live by Sky-Sports. Bobby Mann’s header looked as if it would have taken the Caley Jags through but Cato Gunviet scored with 10 minutes remaining meaning a replay was to be played. Both scorers got yellow cards during the match. Aberdeen won the replay 1-0.

With all the media hype about Aberdeen playing away at Pittodrie was a joke before this game. Inverness were paying Aberdeen £30,000 for the day plus Aberdeen didn’t need to travel to Inverness . And plus they still got the victory thanks to 2 penalties. Roy McBain got the goal for Caley Thistle which was a great goal.

FACTS BETWEEN THE TEAMS

• All League meetings between the teams have taken place in the SPL.
• Aberdeen are unbeaten in all fixtures between the teams.
• The biggest win in the fixture was when Aberdeen won 3-1 on 16/4/2004 away to us at Pittodrie! McBain scored Inverness ’s solo goal.
• If Inverness CT beat Aberdeen on Sunday, I believe they will have beaten every team that has graced the SPL.
• In the last 7 games, neither of these teams have scored more than 1 goal in this fixture.
• Last season produced three 1-1 draws. In two of these, Aberdeen (Lovell) scored late equalising goals.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Dennis Wyness (ICT): The ex-Aberdeen player has finally found form and will be looking for his 100^th goal for the club on Sunday. How fitting would it be if he got it against his old club? The club he has supported since he was a boy? Wyness, now 30 years old, will be looking for an extension to his contract, and if he keeps on scoring then the contract will come sooner rather than later.

Marius Niculae (ICT): Plain and simple, lets hope he finally breaks his duck in the SPL!!

Darren Mackie (Aberdeen): Just back from injury, Aberdeen desperately need Mackie fit and scoring goals. Since the loss of Brewster, Aberdeen need a goal scoring striker and they are hoping that Darren is the answer. However in the last game, both Lee Miller and Scott Severin helped themselves to 2 goals each, taking the pressure of strikers like Mackie.

FUTURE FIXTURES

Wed 31^st Oct: Aberdeen v Inverness CT (CIS Cup Quarter Final)

Wed 2^nd Jan: Aberdeen v Inverness CT (SPL)

Sat 29^th Mar: Inverness CT v Aberdeen (SPL)

Dates subject to change.