Celtic lead by six points going into the last three games of the Scottish Premiership season.
Ange Postecoglou’s side are unbeaten in 29 league games (W24 U5) so it’s a matter of when, not if…
The champagne is already on hold after a 1-1 draw in the final Old Firm derby and the party could start this weekend.
Let’s take a look at what’s at stake in the final round of high profile games, with St Johnstone and Dundee in deep trouble at the bottom.
Celtic with one hand on the trophy
Celtic also enjoy a vastly superior goal difference, a whopping 19 more than nearest challengers Rangers.
A win over Hearts on Saturday lunchtime would extend their lead to nine points and the Ibrox side need a wondrous string of results.
Rangers host Dundee United on Sunday and will need to take on Glasgow rivals to officially keep the competition going.
Hearts have made a fantastic return to the Premiership and are unbeaten in ten games in all competitions with a Scottish Cup final to look forward to. They beat Celtic on the first day of the league campaign in Edinburgh and gave them a second-half scare at Tynecastle in January when Liam Boyce hit the post with a penalty in a 2-1 defeat.
It’s usually a different story in the M8, however, as Celtic have won 19 of their last 20 home league games against Hearts.
Advantage United in the Conference League chase
Dundee United lead a close three-way battle for two Europa Conference League qualifying spots.
If the men of Tam Court can pull off a surprise win at Ibrox and Ross County beat Motherwell at Dingwall so the people of Tannadice can start making sure everyone has an up to date passport.
United are the only team alongside Celtic to have beaten Rangers this season but have not found success in the top flight since 2011 at Ibrox.
If County can manage a third straight league win against Motherwell for the first time, they could very well close the three-point gap on United when those two meet in the Highlands on the final day.
And County will be eyeing their chances on Saturday as the Steelmen have kept a clean sheet in their last 13 league games.
If Motherwell can contribute to their lone Premiership win of 2022 and United lose, then one point is enough for the trio.
Gloomy prospects for the rear lights
Bottom club Dundee is out of must-win games. After last weekend’s 1-0 defeat in Pittodrie, manager Mark McGhee reckoned that the Dark Blues would put St Johnstone in the play-off position if they clinched maximum points from their last three games.
How likely is that given Dundee have only won five games all season and they all got there ahead of McGhee in mid-February?
Eleventh is the best Dundee can achieve and a direct return to the Championship will be confirmed if they lose at St Mirren and the Perth Saints win at Livingston.
Dundee were victorious on their last trip to Paisley in October and have had four wins in their last six Premiership visits, but the Buddies still need something to ensure they are rock solid and boosted after a four-game losing streak McDiarmid parked last time.
It was a game many pundits were tipping St Johnstone to prevail, but Callum Davidson’s side suffered a 1-0 defeat.
Livi has beaten Aberdeen and Hibs since the split but lost their last three home games against Saints in all competitions.
St Johnstone just aren’t scoring enough – 22 goals from 35 games, although they somehow finished eighth in 2011 with just 23.
If Davidson’s side can somehow get maximum points in their last three games, there’s a chance they’ll falter at St Mirren or Aberdeen, but it’ll all fall apart as these two follow up on last weekend’s victories on Saturday.
Underachievers meet on Easter Road
Aberdeen visit Hibernian and both fans are rushing to see the back of this season.
Hibs is the only team in the division still able to score double-digit goals in 2022. The uncoached hosts have won two of their last 15 Scottish Premiership games (D6 L7), scoring just eight goals.
Aberdeen equal that abysmal WDL record over the same period, but their two wins have come in their last five games while Hibs have two in ten.
The Dons certainly had the level of hibs in Edinburgh, losing just three times in 23 visits through 2019/20, but the hosts have won three of the last four between those two at Easter Road.
A point would realistically give Aberdeen reassurance given their 20-goal advantage over St Johnstone, who they meet next in Perth.
Comments are closed.