Credit: Imago

Jack Dawson

Fri 3 April 2026 18:00, UK

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The Scottish Premiership title race is heating up, with Celtic, Rangers and Heart of Midlothian all gunning for the trophy.

As it stands, the Jambos are top of the table, three points clear of the Gers and five clear of the Hoops in third.

With just seven games left to go, many have already ruled out Celtic, especially after their recent damning defeat to Dundee United.

However, there are plenty of reasons why Martin O’Neill can turn the tide and guide the Old Firm club to an unlikely 56th Scottish Premiership title.

Below, Football Insider has explored three reasons why Celtic can still lift the title this season.

Martin O’Neill is unbeaten against Hearts and Rangers

Since his return to the Hoops, O’Neill boasts a solid record against both Hearts and Rangers.

Overall, he has come up against the two title contenders four times in all competitions, knocking the Gers out of both cup competitions, while drawing to both teams in the league.

His record against Rangers is particularly impressive, with O’Neill masterminding a comeback from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in the Scottish Premiership after outwitting Danny Rohl.

This could be imperative post-split, as the Celtic manager clearly knows how to get a result against his biggest opponents and force them to drop potentially vital points.

Celtic’s team have title-winning experience

While experience isn’t everything in a title race, it can give a team a slight edge.

Celtic’s squad has an overwhelming amount of experience in the Scottish Premiership, with players such as James Forrest 13 titles in the division.

This know-how to win the title may be vital in the final matches of the season when the pressure starts to rise on Hearts and Rangers.

🏆 𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡!

Brendan Rodgers’ side seal a fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title after victory over Dundee United! Reaction & analysis live now on @SkyFootball 📺 pic.twitter.com/zHMQuktGxh

— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) April 26, 2025

In comparison, Celtic are unlikely to be as affected as they have been in this situation many times and come out on top.

Therefore, this could give them a major edge in the post-split fixtures.

Celtic are now the underdogs for the title

While former Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness exclusively told Football Insider at the end of March that Celtic were the favourites for the title, this is no longer the case.

Their 2-0 defeat to Dundee United before the international break has left them five points behind the summit, with many already considering them to be out of the race.

However, O’Neill could use this to his advantage. Now, all of the pressure will be on Rangers and Hearts, which will likely result in some points being dropped.

Instead, Celtic may not feel any pressure, which could allow them to quietly pick up results and catch the two clubs currently in front of them in the table.

As a result, these three reasons give the Hoops every chance of still winning the title.