Anyone suggesting that Celtic are out of the Scottish Premiership title race is ignoring both the numbers and the context of this season. A look at the league table in the attached image shows Celtic sitting third on fifty four points from twenty seven matches, six behind leaders Hearts on sixty and three adrift of Rangers on fifty six. On paper that may appear to give the edge to those above them, but the reality is far tighter than the raw positions suggest.
Celtic have played one game fewer than both Hearts and Rangers. Victory in that game in hand would immediately narrow the gap and alter the psychological landscape. With Jens Bethel Askou’s mightily impressive Motherwell side also within range on fifty points, the title picture is compressed rather than stretched. This is not a procession. It is a contest that remains very much alive.
Form across the relevant period further strengthens Celtic’s case. Under Martin O’Neill across his two spells, Celtic have collected thirty one points compared to twenty six gathered by Rangers and Motherwell and twenty three by Hearts over the same stretch. That advantage over direct rivals is significant in any title race. It demonstrates not only consistency but an ability to outperform those competing for the same prize.
An eighty seven percent domestic win rate under O’Neill reinforces the argument. Teams with that level of success do not drift quietly out of contention. They sustain pressure, they build momentum and they close gaps. History shows that O’Neill’s sides tend to grow stronger as stakes rise, combining tactical discipline with the resilience required to navigate tense run ins.
The margins at the top of the table remain small and there are still head to head encounters to come as the league prepares to split in a matter of weeks.
Those head to head encounters offer opportunities not just to add three points but to deny them to rivals. In such circumstances a six point deficit, particularly with a game in hand, is far from decisive. One sustained winning run can transform the standings within a matter of weeks.
League tables at this stage provide only a snapshot. Titles are secured through consistency, composure and the capacity to handle pressure when it intensifies.
Celtic’s recent points return compared to their nearest challengers suggests upward momentum rather than decline – even if performances as of late have not been scintillating. Writing them out of the race now would overlook both statistical evidence and managerial pedigree.
The evidence from the table and from recent performance points in one direction. The Scottish Premiership title race is not settled, and Celtic remain firmly in the fight even up against an impressive Hearts and a chasing Rangers.
Callum McFadden 