Hearts Lead Premiership but Celtic Close In
Hearts have maintained their lead in the Scottish Premiership since October and currently hold a one-point advantage over Celtic with two matches remaining. However, following Celtic's 3-1 victory over Rangers in the Old Firm derby on Sunday, questions arise as to whether the reigning champions have become favourites to claim the title.
Former Celtic midfielder Neil Lennon suggested that momentum is shifting towards Celtic after Martin O'Neill's side ended Rangers' hopes of a title challenge. With two games left, the championship appears likely to be decided in a decisive encounter at Celtic Park next Saturday when Hearts visit, setting the stage for a monumental head-to-head finale.
Despite Hearts' current lead, their upcoming away fixture at Celtic Park means the momentum and psychological advantage may be pivotal in determining the ultimate winner.
Celtic's recent Old Firm derby win has brought them within a point of Hearts, with both clubs having secured Champions League qualification spots for the following season.
Celtic's Renewed Intensity
Lennon, whose Dunfermline Athletic team is set to face Celtic in the Scottish Cup final later this month, believes the momentum is favouring his former club. Statistical trends support this view, as Celtic have won six consecutive matches across all competitions since their defeat to Dundee United at Tannadice in March. Five of these victories have been in the league, steadily reducing Hearts' lead.
At home, Celtic have been particularly dominant, winning all four matches since Hibernian's February victory cast doubts on their title credentials. They have scored ten goals while conceding only three in these fixtures.
Hearts remain unbeaten in six games but have shown signs of vulnerability, requiring resilience to come from behind in five recent matches. Although they secured three wins in this period, dropped points in draws against Livingston and Motherwell have allowed Celtic to close the gap.
O'Neill's squad faces a challenging away match at Fir Park on Wednesday, whereas Hearts will host Falkirk, a team with no competitive stakes remaining.
Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner also acknowledges Celtic's positive momentum heading into the final two games.
"There's a lot of work still to be done," he told BBC Scotland's Sportsound. "The Motherwell game is massive but if Celtic keep that intensity up, you can see them capitalising against a team who will want to play from the back. I anticipate both teams will win on Wednesday and it will be hell for leather at Celtic Park."
Should the title race culminate in a final-day showdown, former Scotland winger Pat Nevin identifies three key factors potentially favouring Celtic. Firstly, Martin O'Neill has partially restored harmony between fans and the club board, a disconnect that was evident before his return as interim manager this season.
"Getting rid of the toxicity at Celtic Park has been immense," Nevin said. "Celtic Park is an incredibly hard place to play when there is that noise and he's got it back."
Nevin also notes concerns regarding Hearts' injury situation. Centre-back Craig Halkett and midfielder Marc Leonard sustained serious injuries at Fir Park, and forward Claudio Braga has appeared fatigued in recent matches.
Additionally, Nevin anticipates that memories of 1986, when two goals by Albert Kidd for Dundee denied Hearts the title and handed it to Celtic, will loom large in the buildup to a potentially nerve-wracking final day.
O'Neill's Challenge and Rangers' Position
Following Sunday's victory, Celtic captain Callum McGregor emphasized the importance of the remaining fixtures, stating that the title is "in our hands." Only a defeat to Motherwell combined with a Hearts win would prevent a final-day decider.
Despite the optimism, O'Neill remains cautious, describing the task ahead as "two mountains to climb" if he is to secure the Scottish title for a fourth time and his first in 22 years.
"I've never been confident," said the 74-year-old Northern Irishman. "People have said to me about momentum and momentum can get shifted at any given moment. We have to win because I would expect Hearts to win. We've a really difficult match at Motherwell, but I think the run that we're on gives us confidence to compete."
When questioned about whether the upcoming Old Firm derby would be his last and if a league and cup double might persuade him to remain at Celtic, O'Neill declined to comment. Lennon, however, believes that securing a winning send-off for the veteran manager will serve as additional motivation for the players.
Hearts have remained unbeaten against Celtic this season, winning two of the three encounters. Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday highlighted the impact of O'Neill's management as a potentially decisive factor.
"Of Celtic's January signings, none are in the starting line-up," Halliday said. "So what he's done is make all the players Celtic already had at their disposal better. Celtic are on a five-game winning run. You talk about mentality and playing your best level at the right time and Celtic have hit theirs now. But Hearts, for 30 weeks in a row now, are just finding ways to win, so it's going to be a very interesting finish. We were salivating for these post-split fixtures and they've been everything we hoped for. I don't think that's going to change."
Celtic fans celebrated their Old Firm victory, underscoring the heightened stakes as the season approaches its climax.
