Hearts have led the Scottish Premiership since October and remain one point ahead of Celtic with two games remaining. But are the reigning champions now the favorites to lift the title?
Former Celtic midfielder Neil Lennon suggested as much after Martin O’Neill’s side ended Rangers’ lingering title hopes with a 3-1 derby win on Sunday. With two matches left, the trophy’s destination may not be decided until Hearts visit Celtic Park next Saturday in what could be a dramatic head-to-head finale. The Edinburgh club hold the advantage but still have to travel to Glasgow. So where does the momentum lie?
Lennon, whose Dunfermline Athletic side face Celtic in this month’s Scottish Cup final, believes “momentum” is with his former club. Recent statistics support that view. Since losing to Dundee United at Tannadice in March, Celtic have won six consecutive matches across all competitions, with five league wins gradually eroding Hearts’ lead. They have also won all four home games since Hibernian raised questions about their title credentials with a February victory, scoring ten goals while conceding only three at Celtic Park.
Hearts themselves are unbeaten in six, but they have needed resilience to come from behind and avoid defeat in their last five matches. While they won three of those, dropped points at Livingston and Motherwell on Saturday allowed Celtic to close the gap. O’Neill’s men face a tricky trip to Fir Park on Wednesday, while Hearts host Falkirk, a side with nothing to play for.
Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner also thinks Celtic have “got a nice momentum going” 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 all-out at Celtic Park.”
If it comes down to a final-day showdown, former Scotland winger Pat Nevin sees three big factors that could favor Celtic. O’Neill has, at least in part, healed the disconnect between fans and the board that existed 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 believes that “in his heart of hearts,” Hearts head coach Derek McInnes “must be getting worried about the amount of injuries.” Centre-back Craig Halkett and midfielder Marc Leonard both suffered serious injuries at Fir Park, while Nevin believes forward Claudio Braga “has looked exhausted” in the last two games. Nevin also expects the specter of 1986—when two Albert Kidd goals for Dundee denied Hearts the title and handed it to Celtic—will be prominent in the buildup to a potentially nerve-shredding final day.
Celtic captain Callum McGregor pointed out “it’s in our hands” after Sunday’s “huge win” over their city rivals. Only defeat by Motherwell on Wednesday, combined with a Hearts victory over Falkirk, would mean the title race is decided before the final weekend. But with both teams still in control of their own destiny, the stage is set for a thrilling conclusion.
