GET READY FOR THE CRUNCH
Reputations, places... and jobs on the line as Premiership season enters home straight
CELTIC
Just when they looked vulnerable, Brendan Rodgers’ side delivered. That stunning victory with ten men at Ibrox gave them substantial breathing space at the top of the Premiership. Even a subsequent draw with Motherwell still has them ten points clear with a game in hand.
Ross County, Dundee and Hamilton represent a kind fixture list before the semi-final with Rangers. Maximum points are anticipated from those matches, which would leave the champions within a win or two of the title.
On course to become the first Scottish side in history to win back-to-back Trebles, Rodgers faces a task in preventing minds wandering towards the Hampden showdown on April 15. Ensuring his team emerges undefeated for a tenth time against Rangers is far and away the top priority.
RANGERS
How quickly the air went out of the tyres. No praise was too high for the results and performances Graeme Murty managed to fashion since the turn of the year.
But the justifiable optimism with which Rangers approached the latest meeting with Celtic counted for nothing as they lost to ten men.
A home defeat to Kilmarnock compounded this and Murty’s hopes no longer centre on winning the most unlikely title but salvaging second place. Motherwell and Dundee must first be overcome if this objective is not to drift.
It is hard to overstate the importance of the semi-final with Celtic. Not only is this the Ibrox club’s only realistic chance of a trophy, it would deny Celtic a double-Treble.
And no Rangers manager lasts long in the job if he is incapable of getting one over on their great rivals.
ABERDEEN
Two points behind Rangers with a game in hand, Derek McInnes’ side will move back into second spot if they can beat St Johnstone, Motherwell and Hearts.
They certainly signed off for the international break on a positive note by winning a Scottish Cup replay with Kilmarnock on penalties and seeing off Dundee.
The displays of Scott McKenna for Scotland will have meant the world to all at the club. As will the appearances from the bench of Ryan Christie and Kenny McLean.
If the Dons can reach the middle of the month on a roll, Motherwell represent a gilt-edged chance of reaching another Scottish Cup final.
But just remember how poor Aberdeen were in the Betfred Cup loss at Fir Park.
HIBERNIAN
It is easy to lose sight of the fact Hibernian are a newly promoted team. What a first season back in the top flight this has been to date. And it could yet get better.
Neil Lennon’s men are only four points behind Aberdeen and six behind Rangers, having played a game less than the Ibrox side. Could they yet prove themselves to be the second-best team in the country?
Partick Thistle, Hamilton Accies and Ross County is hardly a fixture list to fear before the split but Lennon will be aware of the damage already caused by two defeats against bottom-six opponents.
KILMARNOCK
However the season unrolls, no one will come close to matching the mid-season transformation Steve Clarke presided over.
As no Killie fan will ever tire of hearing, they were winless and bottom of the table when Clarke
came in but after beating Rangers at Ibrox are now safe in the top six.
Having come so far, can they go a little further? They have six points to make up on Hibs to reach fourth place but Hamilton, twice, plus Partick before the split is hardly a source of sleepless nights.
HEARTS
The word is the club budgeted for fourth place and two decent cup runs. It is absolutely imperative, then, that the top six does not slip through their grasp.
Despite a patchy season, Craig Levein’s side are well-placed to fulfil that minimum requirement. A comfortable win over Partick last time out put them six points clear of Motherwell, albeit they have played a game more than the Steelmen.
A minimum of four points from two games with Dundee and Aberdeen will do it and allow the squad to turn their minds to loftier ambitions next season.
MOTHERWELL
There appeared a real danger that Stephen Robinson’s side had peaked too early with the run to the Betfred Cup final. They failed to win in nine outings around then but improved recent league form coupled with victory over Hearts in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals has reinvigorated them.
Realistically, they would need to beat Rangers, Aberdeen and St Johnstone — and hope Hearts slip up if they are to sneak into the top six but any points gained will still edge them away from the foot of the table.
Having already beaten Aberdeen comprehensively in the Betfred Cup, Robinson should have no problem instilling belief in his side when the teams clash again in the Scottish Cup semi-final on April 14.
ST JOHNSTONE
Having made the top six in each of the past six seasons, a failure to repeat the trick this time will be a source of frustration to Tommy Wright (below).
But this is a club that has continually punched above its weight. It is easy to lose sight of the fact that survival is always a good season for St Johnstone.
Aberdeen and Motherwell will be tough pre-split opponents but six points should just about guarantee safety before the bottomsix fixtures come out.
HAMILTON ACCIES
Martin Canning’s side are the Premiership’s great unpredictables. Just when it looks like they are tip-toeing their way into danger, they pull an unexpected win from nowhere. Similarly, just when you think they are cruising, they tend to hit the wall.
All considered, though, they are in a pretty good place, with ten matches remaining. Kilmarnock (twice), Hibs and Celtic is a tough run but the comfort for them is that they are probably within one or two unlikely wins of ensuring their safety for another year.
DUNDEE
These are worrying days for the Dark Blues. Not only have they lost six of their past seven games across all competitions but discipline — both on the park and in the dugout — does not appear to be their strong suit. The dream of making the top six went by the wayside many weeks ago. It’s now all about getting to the summer in one piece and rebuilding. Hearts, Celtic and Rangers is the unenviable run for Neil McCann’s men before the split. They badly need to take something from these games to keep Partick Thistle and Ross County at bay.
PARTICK THISTLE
Thistle were nothing short of abysmal as they lost three goals to Hearts in the first half last time out.
While a repeat of last season’s top-six heroics was always unlikely, few Jags fans were anticipating this season being quite so poor.
Without a win in seven games, Saturday’s trip to Hibernian cannot be looked upon as a free hit. The games are fast running out.
But with a trip to Dingwall up next Tuesday, there is no question what game is the more vital. Win that one and a six-point gap to County may open up. Lose it and Alan Archibald’s men might sink to the bottom.
ROSS COUNTY
It has been a lamentable term to date for the Staggies. The dismissal of Jim McIntyre looked harsh at the time and appeared even more so by the time Owen Coyle departed the scene.
County have won just one of their last 18 fixtures and will need to pull off an act of Houdini-like proportions if they are to escape the drop.
Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson saw flickers of hope in the two consolations scored at Kilmarnock and in the draw with Hamilton, but County badly need to take points from Celtic, Partick and Hibs if their efforts are not to be in vain.