Damning stat shows why Celtic are already out of Scottish Premiership title race, what this means for Rangers and Hearts
Celtic are hoping to win their 56th Scottish Premiership title this season, but with the split now just around the corner, their hopes of achieving this are low.
While the Hoops have done an excellent job at dispatching the sides lower in the table, they have struggled against the clubs around them.
In their last seven meetings against Rangers, Hearts and Motherwell in the division, they have only picked up one victory, coming against the Steelmen in early October.
This presents a massive issue for Martin O’Neill, with the Hoops likely to face these sides five times in their final 13 matches.
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Celtic’s terrible record against top Scottish Premiership sides will end league title hopes
With Celtic already six points behind Hearts at the summit, O’Neill needs to win the vast majority of his matches if they are to win the title.
However, it is clear this season that the Hoops are simply unable to beat the teams around them, and this will haunt them between now and the end of the season.
In comparison, have beaten Celtic and Rangers in four out of their five meetings this season, but are yet to beat Motherwell.
Soak in these Hearts scenes ♥️
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) February 10, 2026
Trying to become the first champions of Scotland other than Celtic or Rangers in 40 years, Hearts beat arch-rivals Hibs and go six points clear at the summit. Something very special is brewing in Edinburgh 🤯pic.twitter.com/gjLhtO05Tn
The Gers have also picked up victories against the Steelmen and the Hoops this season, ahead of their clash against the Jambos on Sunday.
Therefore, given how many times Celtic have to play either Hearts, Rangers or Motherwell, it seems highly unlikely that they will get the points required to go and win the title.
When do Celtic next play Rangers, Hearts and Motherwell?
Until the split gets underway, Celtic will not play Hearts, with the two sides already meeting three times this season.
However, O’Neill’s men will face Rangers and Motherwell one more time in the Scottish Premiership before the final five matches.
The Old Firm derby is set to take place on 1 March at Ibrox, exactly one week before their Scottish Cup quarter-final clash.
Shortly after, they will face Motherwell on 14 March as they look to get revenge for their defeat at Fir Park earlier this season.
For now, the fixtures post-split remain unconfirmed, but it is highly likely that all of the current top four remain in the top six come mid-April.