Six youngsters who have made their Scottish Premiership breakthrough this season

Celtic and Rangers' bid for the title looks set to go down to the wire, Motherwell and Aberdeen look the two most likely candidates to battle it out for the title of best of the rest while the two Edinburgh clubs have changed their managers in an attempt to get their seasons back on track.

With so much going on in the Scottish top flight, it can be difficult to keep track of which young players are worth keeping an eye on and which ones look set to become key players for their respective clubs. With that in mind, we've drawn up a shortlist of six youngsters who have burst onto the scene this season and look to have very promising careers ahead of them.

Jeremie Frimpong - Celtic (18)

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The Dutch full-back arrived in Glasgow's east end on deadline day and following the acqusitions of Hatem Elhamed and Moritz Bauer earlier in the transfer window, Celtic supporters could be forgiven for assuming that the former Manchester City youth player would be primarily involved in the development squad this season.

However, this has not been the case. Frimpong made everyone sit up and take notice after producing a man-of-the-match display on his Celtic debut against Partick Thistle and the right back has only gone from strength to strength since. The 18-year-old has three league appearances to his name so far this season and started in the Betfred Cup semi-final win over Hibernian, and looks to be thriving under Neil Lennon's tutelage. With pace to burn and a clear attacking threat, it isn't difficult to see why.

Aaron Hickey - Hearts (17)

Another full-back who is enjoying a fantastic campaign, Hickey has been one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise underwhelming season for the capital club. The left-back shot to fame after putting in an assured performance in the Scottish Cup final last season at the age of 16 and has since gone on to cement his place in the Hearts defence.

A winning goal in an Edinburgh Derby will always endear a player to the Tynecastle crowd but it is no understatement to suggest that Hickey is the best under-18 prospect in Scotland with regular game-time under his belt. English champions Manchester City have reportedly been keeping tabs on the 17-year-old and it isn't hard to see why, given the remarkably consistent and assured defensive performances that Hickey has been putting in. A future Scotland international in the making.

Andrew Irving - Hearts (19)

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After spending the first half of last season on loan at Falkirk, Irving has since returned to Tynecastle and made the step up to the first team this season. The central midfielder has 10 Premiership appearances under his belt this season and is fast becoming a crucial cog in the Hearts midfield.

The 19-year-old averages more passes per game than any other midfielder in the league under the age of 21, and has the highest progressive pass (a pass that moves the ball at least 10 yards up the pitch) accuracy of any Premiership player in the same age grouping. Glenn Whelan, the experienced former Stoke City midfielder, is the only Hearts player who attempts more passes per game or with a higher overall accuracy.

Liam Millar - Kilmarnock (20)

The Canadian winger spent last season at Rugby Park on loan from Liverpool and impressed sufficiently to convince Angelo Alessio to bring him back to Ayrshire this year. Millar only started two Premiership matches last season - including an appearance at Celtic Park where he was Kilmarnock's best player on the day - but has become a regular fixture on Killie's left wing this season.

Millar attempts 8.75 dribbles per game - the fifth-highest rate of any Premiership player - and has completed more progressive runs (dribbles where the ball is carried at least 10 yards forward) than any other top-flight footballer. The on-loan winger is certainly brilliant at driving at the opposition but could probably offer a greater output in front of goal: Millar has only one goal and one assist to his name this season.

James Scott - Motherwell (19)

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The Fir Park forward broke into Stephen Robinson's first team towards the tail end of last season and has became a regular fixture in the Motherwell first team this season. Comfortable playing on the right as a winger or through the middle as a striker, Scott's electrifying pace makes him a fearsome opponent.

Scott is just behind Millar in the Premiership's top dribblers, attempting 8.6 per game, and boasts the tenth-highest dribbling success rate of any Premiership player. And while he will want to add more goals to his game, the one league strike he has notched so far this season (against St Mirren in October) was a thing of beauty.

Lewis Smith - Hamilton (19)

Hamilton have proud history of developing young players and giving them opportunities and Smith looks to be the latest product of their youth academy that counts the likes of James McCarthy, James McArthur, Lewis Ferguson, Greg Docherty and Eamonn Brophy amongst its recent alumni.

Smith predominantly features on the right side of the Accies midfield and is another winger who has caused his opponents all sorts of problems since bursting onto the scene this season. The 8.1 dribbles he attempts per game leave him marginally behind Millar and Scott in this regard, but the 19-year-old has the highest dribbling success rate of any player aged 21 and under in the top flight.