Preview: Falkirk vs Aberdeen - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams separated by just one point in the Scottish Premiership will meet on Saturday when Aberdeen travel to Falkirk.

The hosts currently sit eighth in the standings with 24 points, while the visitors are one place above them in seventh with 25 points.

Match preview

Falkirk will be hoping to get back to winning ways after they were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Dundee last Saturday, with a Yan Dhanda penalty proving the difference between the two sides.

The Bairns earned promotion to the Scottish Premiership last season, returning to the top flight for the first time in 15 years, and they have performed admirably in their bid to stay up.

Falkirk currently sit in mid-table and are in a strong position to avoid relegation, having picked up important wins over the likes of Kilmarnock, Dundee United and Motherwell.

John McGlynn's side also beat Aberdeen 1-0 in the reverse fixture back in August, with Kyrell Wilson scoring the winner that day, but they did end 2025 in a slump after winning just one of their last six.

It is also worth noting that Falkirk's home record is among the worst in the division, with only the current bottom two Livingston and Kilmarnock winning less games than them, while their away record is much stronger.

Aberdeen are without a win in their last four games across all competitions, have dropped back into the bottom six in the Premiership and sit second bottom in the league phase of the UEFA Conference League.

Manager Jimmy Thelin is under pressure to turn things around in 2026 after the club backed him in the summer, bringing in the likes of Kenan Bilalovic, Nicolas Milanovic, Kevin Nisbet and Emmanuel Gyamfi for significant fees.

The Dons endured a woeful start to their league campaign, failing to win any of their first six games, but they found some form at the start of October and picked up seven victories in their next 10.

However, they ended 2025 with defeats to Celtic and Hibernian and a draw with Dundee United to slip back into the bottom half, with Thelin admitting his side are "not smart and strong enough" during "critical transition moments" after the loss to Hibs.

Falkirk Scottish Premiership form:

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Falkirk form (all competitions):

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Aberdeen Scottish Premiership form:

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Aberdeen form (all competitions):

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Team News

Falkirk could start striker Barney Stewart after he was recalled from a successful loan spell at Scottish Championship side Dunfermline Athletic which saw him score seven goals in 11 games.

Stewart may replace veteran frontman Brian Graham, who has netted four goals in 16 league games, with Wilson, Calvin Miller and Ethan Williams providing attacking support.

Aberdeen will be without defenders Gavin Molloy and Kristers Tobers, who remain sidelined with knee injuries, and Nicky Devlin, Jack Milne and Mats Knoester are expected to continue at the back.

Nisbet could come into the side for Lazetic, who has not scored in his last seven appearances, while Graeme Shinnie may replace Kjartan Mar Kjartansson in midfield

Falkirk possible starting lineup:

Bain; Adams, Allan, Henderson, Lissah; Spencer, Yeats; Wilson, Miller, Williams; Stewart

Aberdeen possible starting lineup:

Mitov; Devlin, Milne, Knoester; Jensen, Shinnie, Armstrong, Aouchiche, Gyamfi; Nisbet, Karlsson