Scottish Premiership Struggle: Aberdeen Host Promoted Falkirk in Bid for First Points
In an early 2025-26 Scottish Premiership fixture, two struggling teams will clash at Pittodrie Stadium. Home side Aberdeen desperately seeks a league breakthrough after their European exit, while newly-promoted Falkirk aims to prove their top-flight credentials amidst a significant injury crisis. This match is crucial for both sides, as they both seek their first league victory of the season to escape the bottom of the table.
Match Background & Qualification Scenarios
This Scottish Premiership clash on August 31 at Pittodrie Stadium in Aberdeen pits Aberdeen against newly-promoted Falkirk. Both teams have endured a difficult start to the new league season. Aberdeen currently sits at the bottom of the league table with zero points from two matches and no goals scored, desperately needing a breakthrough at home. [12, 38] They recently suffered a 5-2 aggregate defeat to FCSB in the UEFA Europa League playoffs, ending their European campaign. [47] On the other hand, Falkirk, who were promoted to the top flight after winning the Scottish Championship title on May 2, 2025, [8] have managed just one point from their opening two Premiership matches, placing them 11th. [12, 25] They are eager to prove their capabilities in the Premiership against another struggling side. For both teams, this match is crucial not only for securing their first league win but also for avoiding an early descent into the relegation battle.
Recent Form
Aberdeen's recent form across their last five official matches has been poor, with a record of 1 win, 1 draw, and 3 losses. They have suffered two consecutive league defeats, losing 0-2 to Celtic [28, 47] and 0-2 to Hearts [28, 47]. In the Europa League playoffs, they drew 2-2 at home against FCSB but then lost 0-3 away, resulting in their elimination. [47] Their sole victory came in the League Cup, a convincing 3-0 win over Greenock Morton. [28, 47] Visiting side Falkirk's recent form has also been challenging, with a record of 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses in their last five official matches. In the Scottish Premiership, they drew 2-2 with Dundee United [12, 25] before falling 1-3 to Livingston [12, 25]. Most recently, they lost 1-4 to Celtic in the League Cup. [12] Their other two matches were League Cup group stage wins against Spartans (4-0) [32] and Queen's Park (3-1). [32]
Key Players & Injury News
Key players for Aberdeen include experienced midfielder Graeme Shinnie, playmaker Ante Palaversa, and attacking options Kusini Yengi and Nicolas Milanovic. [12, 24] Midfielder Sivert Heltne Nilsen has returned from a serious eye injury and has already scored in the League Cup, showing good form. [13] Regarding injuries, Aberdeen faces absences from key defenders Mats Knoester, Emmanuel Gyamfi, and Kristers Tobers, who were all sidelined as of mid-August. [10, 31, 36] New signing Kenan Bilalović is also unavailable due to visa issues. [10, 31] Falkirk is currently experiencing a significant injury crisis, with as many as seven players out, which is a major blow for the newly-promoted side. [27] Key winger Ethan Ross is expected to be out for 12 weeks due to a serious ankle injury, while Aidan Nesbitt will also miss around three months with a torn plantar fascia in his foot. [11, 27] Other injured players include Finn Yeats, Tom Lang, Coll Donaldson, Barney Stewart, and Jamie Sneddon. [11] To address the winger crisis, Falkirk has signed Kyrell Wilson on loan from Swansea, and he is expected to go straight into the squad. [27] Midfielder Dylan Tait and Ross MacIver are crucial to their attack, while veteran Scott Arfield remains an important presence in the squad. [12, 18, 21]