What to look out for in Scottish Cup last 16

Sixteen teams. Eight ties. One Scottish Cup fifth-round weekend.

The old competition was treated to an upset or two in round four. Three weeks on, what level of drama will unfold in the last 16?

Based on fourth-round evidence, top-flight Falkirk should be aware of banana skins when they go to Stenhousemuir – live on the BBC – in the weekend’s final tie on Sunday (19:30 GMT).

Gary Naysmith’s side, currently challenging at the top of the third tier, dismantled Championship Greenock Morton by four goals at Ochilview in the previous stage.

John McGlynn’s men, who have defied the odds in the Premiership this season, will be a step up in class, but the League 1 hosts will have a fearless approach having lost just one of their past nine.

Among the 15:00 kick-offs on Saturday, Dundee United welcome Spartans. Despite being out of form, it seems unthinkable that the top-tier club would lose at home to the fourth-tier leaders.

However, United boss Jim Goodwin reminded BBC Scotland of his rough record against lower-league sides following a late 3-2 defeat at Hibernian on Wednesday.

“I don’t think there’s any manager in the country that needs to be warned about teams from the lower leagues more than myself,” he said. “I go to bed thinking about it every night.”

The weekend drama kicks off in Lanarkshire, Airdrieonians welcoming League Cup holders St Mirren on Friday (19:45) – also live on the BBC.

The Championship season has been a struggle for Airdrie. They remain embroiled in a relegation scrap at the bottom but have shown signs of improvement under head coach Aaron Taylor-Sinclair.

Buddies boss Stephen Robinson will remember a League Cup group defeat at the Excelsior Stadium in the summer of 2022, St Mirren’s last trip to Airdrie.

Since then, the ex-Motherwell manager has gone on to win silverware in that very competition, overcoming Wilfried Nancy’s Celtic at Hampden in December.

And we cannot ignore Queen’s Park’s trip to Rangers on Sunday (14:00).

The second-tier side’s famous Scottish Cup win at Ibrox last season took place in the same round. Almost a year on to the day, they meet again.

Seb Drozd’s sublime 69th-minute strike, coupled with Calum Ferrie’s penalty save in stoppage time, produced one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history.

Queen’s Park hero Ferrie will be one to watch, returning to Ibrox one year on from his Scottish Cup heroics.

The goalkeeper will be expecting another busy afternoon in Govan, given Rangers’ new £5m striker Ryan Naderi could be in line for a first start for Danny Rohl’s side.

Falkirk will have to keep a keen eye on Stenhousemuir striker Matty Aitken, who has 11 goals this term, two of which came in their superb 4-0 win against Morton in the previous round.

Following Wednesday’s postponement at Pittodrie, Celtic fans may get their first look at deadline-day signings Junior Adamu, Benjamin Arthur and Joel Mvuka when their side hosts Dundee in one of two all-Premiership ties on Saturday (17:30).

The other encounter between two top-flight sides takes place later that night (19:30) when Motherwell go to managerless Aberdeen.

It may come too soon for a new manager but the Dons support could see debuts from new recruits Afeez Aremu, Dennis Geiger and Tom McIntyre.

TV: Watch St Mirren’s trip to Airdrieonians on Friday (19:45) and Stenhousemuir against Falkirk on Sunday (19:30) on the BBC Scotland channel, as well as Sportscene highlights across the weekend.

Radio: Live BBC Radio Scotland match commentary from Dunfermline Athletic v Kelty Hearts (15:00), Celtic v Dundee (17:30) and Aberdeen v Motherwell (19:30) on Saturday, along with Rangers v Queen’s Park (14:00) on Sunday.