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head of a potentially pivotal midweek in Scotland, the SPL title race remains very much alive after Celtic kept on Old Firm rivals Rangers’ coat-tails with an important 2-0 victory at Kilmarnock on Sunday (Celtic 2/1 to win the SPL title).
Goals from skipper Scott Brown and Kris Commons were enough to seal the victory for the Bhoys at Rugby Park – a result which closed the gap on Rangers to a solitary point.
The Gers themselves had put in a similarly impressive performance on Saturday, beating third-place Hearts 4-0 at Ibrox, to place them firmly in the driving seat with only two games to go in a season which has seen the top spot in the league switch from club to club on numerous occasions (Rangers now 4/11 to win the title).
Both sides face tough fixtures in the coming week, however, and have both already lost to the respective teams they play earlier in the campaign. Rangers host to Dundee United at Ibrox on Tuesday night – a match they lost 3-2 earlier in the season thanks to two goals from Scotland international striker David Goodwillie.
The Gers have struggled at times this season due to their relatively light squad but are now back to full strength after the return of the likes of Majid Bougherra and Lee McCulloch after injury lay-offs (Rangers 2/9 to beat Dundee United).
Celtic, meanwhile, travel to Tynecastle to face Hearts on Wednesday who themselves will be looking to bounce back after their disappointing result against the champions over the weekend (Celtic 4/9 to claim the victory).
Hearts beat Celtic 2-1 in the same fixture earlier this season in a match that was marred by controversy and saw Neil Lennon receive a touchline ban after a scuffle between both players and officials.
Hearts are always a difficult proposition, especially at home, and with the likes of Rudi Skacel and young winger David Templeton in attack, they have the ability to unlock any side.
Celtic will, of course, be doing all they can to secure the victory as they aim to take the title race to the last day of the season and will be looking to inspirational captain Scott Brown to lead them to victory. Top-scorer Gary Hooper could also be a key man and seems to have a habit of scoring important goals at crucial times for Lennon’s side.
The midweek fixtures look set to be the ones to decide the title race as both look to have relatively easy matches on the final day of the season – Celtic host Motherwell while Rangers, in what will be Walter Smith’s last game in charge before Ally McCoist takes over, travel to Kilmarnock.
If both sides win their midweek games, which is likely, it will undoubtedly mean an exciting last-day climax to what has certainly been a thrilling battle between the old foes at the top once again.
But Rangers, with the point advantage, have the upper hand and we expect them to end the season on top with two wins out of their final two games while Celtic, who should also take a maximum six points from the available six, look set for heartache and appear destined to miss out by just the single point when the season draws to a close in a weeks’ time.
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