Related items

• Celtic never stop, but could Michael Beale cinch Premiership talking points?

  It was a dramatic Saturday in the cinch Premiership.

  The day started with one of the most thrilling finales to a game at Fir Park for years and there was soon a bigger story up the road in Glasgow.

  Here are five things we learned from the weekend’s action.

  Michael Beale is on the precipice

  A four-match winning run failed to silence many of the doubters among the Rangers support after a heavy defeat by PSV Eindhoven and a home loss to Celtic led to calls for the manager to be sacked. Those demands were reignited after Aberdeen’s 3-1 win at Ibrox left Rangers seven points behind their city rivals after losing three of their first seven league games. The board may see a lengthy injury list as a mitigating factor and question whether changing manager for a second time inside 12 months is advisable. But Beale has little room for error if he is to remain in the job.

  Alex Lowry is making his mark

  The on-loan Rangers midfielder has been on the Hearts bench for the past four games but he will be difficult to leave out next weekend after following up his midweek Viaplay Cup winner at Kilmarnock with an assist for Alan Forrest’s headed winner against Ross County in Dingwall. Head coach Steven Naismith said of the 20-year-old: “I challenge him all the time to give us an end product, and I thought he was really good off the ball today. We can’t have a luxury player, he needs to be in certain positions and I thought he did that really well when he came on.”

  Celtic still never stop

  Ange Postecoglou’s mantra helped Celtic to some last-gasp wins in the past two seasons and they were at it again at Fir Park when Matt O’Riley netted seven minutes into stoppage time, moments after Blair Spittal had levelled for Motherwell. Luis Palma had only opened the scoring for Celtic in the 87th minute. The winner sparked wild celebrations and the Celtic fans’ feelgood factor was further fuelled by the news from Ibrox later in the day.

  St Johnstone still looking for elusive win

  Dara Costelloe gave the Perth side the lead at home to Livingston but captain Liam Gordon later conceded a penalty and received a red card in separate incidents as Sean Kelly earned Livi a 1-1 draw from the spot. Steven MacLean’s side are still playing catch-up after a slow start to the transfer window but they are four points adrift with a trip to in-form Aberdeen to follow and the wait for a first win could become a millstone.

  Aberdeen find consistency

  The Dons have hit their groove in emphatic fashion after a poor start to the season. Barry Robson’s side made it three wins in a week with their Ibrox heroics, following wins over Ross County in both the league and Viaplay Cup. Despite failing to win their first five matches, Aberdeen now find themselves just four points behind Rangers and with plenty to look forward to, starting with Thursday’s visit of HJK Helsinki in the Europa Conference League.

• Harry Kane kickstarts Bayern Munich comeback in draw with RB Leipzig

  Harry Kane was on target as Bayern Munich came from two goals down draw 2-2 at RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.

  Leipzig struck early through Lois Openda and Castello Lukeba but Kane and Leroy Sane replied in the second half to earn the reigning champions a point.

  But the draw saw Thomas Tuchel’s men end the day in third, two points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

  Bayern almost scored inside three minutes when Kane’s smart pass in midfield played in the elusive Jamal Musiala but the attacking midfielder failed to hold his nerve and his shot was saved by Janis Blaswich.

  Straight after, Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich was nearly caught outside his box, but Leipzig took their second opportunity to open the scoring after 20 minutes.

  Xaver Schlager retrieved the ball in midfield and he slipped through Openda who sped away from his man before his deflected effort nestled in the corner to give the hosts a 1-0 lead over the German champions.

  And in the 26th minute Bayern shipped another goal as Leipzig stormed into a 2-0 lead.

  Ulreich misjudged the flight of David Raum’s whipped corner and a knockdown in the box found the alert Lukeba who scored and stunned Tuchel’s side at Red Bull Arena.

  Leipzig played with a higher intensity and quality which forced fouls from Kane and Dayot Upamecano who received bookings as Bayern searched for a way back.

  And they brought one back in the 57th minute from the spot through Kane.

  Musiala’s free-kick cannoned off the elbow of Benjamin Henrichs and after a VAR review the referee pointed to the spot which allowed Kane to bury his eighth Bundesliga goal.

  Bayern grew in confidence and completed the comeback in the 70th minute.

  Musiala showed his explosive pace when he countered from a Leipzig corner before he slipped in Sane who opened his body up and slid his effort home.

  With 10 minutes to go Bayern searched for a winner and were camped in Leipzig’s final third, looking for openings to complete the turnaround.

  Sane enjoyed touches of the ball in dangerous positions but Leipzig’s Schlager was quick to tackle and drive his team forward before he nearly picked out Benjamin Sesko in the 88th minute against the run of play.

  Ulreich sensationally rushed out and beat Sesko to the ball in a 50-50 when the striker was played through and the game ended level after six minutes of added time.

• Ali Al-Hamadi’s goalscoring ability was never doubted by Johnnie Jackson

  Johnnie Jackson never doubted the goalscoring capabilities of Ali Al-Hamadi, whose impressive hat-trick proved decisive in AFC Wimbledon’s 4-1 win over Tranmere.

  The Iraqi international bagged his first career treble, leading the charge as AFC Wimbledon came from behind to pick up their first home win of the Sky Bet League Two season and move into the play-off places.

  Prior to Saturday’s contest, Al-Hamadi had found trouble converting his chances and his goal tally for the season sat at just one.

  However, Jackson insisted that it was an inevitability that the 21-year-old would find his shooting boots for Wimbledon.

  Jackson said: “I always said it was coming, but no one said it more than him.

  “No one here was worried about him scoring goals because you’re seeing how well he’s playing, seeing how many chances we’re creating for him as a team, how many he’s creating for himself by his own devilment.

  “We knew they’d come for him. It’s ironic how in one week you get one, and then the next week you go and get your hat-trick.

  “Delight for Ali, it’ll do him the world of good.”

  For Tranmere manager Nigel Adkins, the heroics of Al-Hamadi only brought frustration as his side’s wait for a point on the road this season continues.

  Rovers had snatched an early lead through Connor Jennings, but after Armani Little brought AFC Wimbledon level, it all went wrong for the visitors.

  Defeat leaves Tranmere in the relegation zone, where they started the day, having won only two of their first 10 games this season.

  However, Adkins has nonetheless found encouragement by the start his team made to the game.

  He said: “We started both halves really, really well. The first half especially.

  “Our intensity, our passing, our movement, our identity, our understanding of what we wanted. For the first 20 minutes, it was spot on.

  “And then goals changed the complexion of the game.”

  A key moment of the game came eight minutes after the interval, when Josh Turnbull saw red after a rash challenge on Isaac Ogundere.

  The challenge was right under the nose of Adkins, who understood referee Daniel Middleton’s decision to dismiss Turnbull.

  “It’s a thunderous challenge going in, committed,” Adkins added.

  “We want committed challenges going in, but I think in the climate of today, maybe a follow through is just enough [to be a red card].

  “It’s a fraction harsh, but the referee had a decision to make and we went down to 10 men.”