Home games and finale offer Celtic advantages in run-in
Hearts return to Celtic Park on 16 May [SNS] Defending champions Celtic's main advantage over their title rivals in the Scottish Premiership post-split run-in is their three home games and finishing the campaign at Celtic Park. As things stand, Martin O'Neill's side have the most to do out of Hearts, Rangers and Celtic but that could all change very quickly. Celtic could finish this coming weekend second or even first, depending on results.
They host St Mirren on Saturday in a dress rehearsal for the Scottish Cup semi-final eight days later. In their first post-split league fixture, they will host Falkirk for the third time this season on 25 April (17:30 BST). A trip to Hibernian follows on 3 May (12:00) then Rangers visit Celtic Park for the season's final meeting of the city rivals on 10 May (12:00).
Celtic's last midweek fixture and final away Premiership game of the season will be at Motherwell on 13 May (20:00) and then current league leaders Hearts visit Glasgow on 16 May (12:30). Hearts and Rangers, who will both have three away games after the split, are unbeaten against Celtic in the league so far this season and both have won at Celtic Park, while Motherwell and Hibs have inflicted defeats on the reigning champions. However, O'Neill's Celtic picked up a victory at Easter Road earlier in the season and have recorded four straight wins over Falkirk in all competitions, plus two home victories against Well.
In what has been a challenging season for Celtic with a managerial resignation, a mid-season boss sacking and O'Neill brought in on two occasions, they could yet end the campaign with a league and cup double and maintain their average for trophies won over the previous two season. Finishing second in the league would at least offer access to next season's Champions League. As if all that wasn't incentive enough, Celtic are seeking to avoid their lowest finish in the Scottish top flight since the 1994-1995 campaign.
In every season since, Celtic have been in the top two and first on 20 occasions.