The Exact Way Celtic Can Still Win the Scottish Premiership

The Exact Way Celtic Can Still Win the Scottish Premiership

The Exact Way Celtic Can Still Win the Scottish Premiership…

Celtic Park on Trophy Day. Photo The Celtic Star

With the Scottish Premiership title race currently looking its most exciting in recent times, and boiling down to a three-horse race, it’s interesting to see what the bookies think. It’s tight at the top, though most betting sites on Scs.ie are backing the Rangers, with Bet365 offering odds of 21/20. Amazingly however, Hearts are also heavily backed, with Boyle Sports providing odds of 11/4. As usual, though, Celtic are also still firmly in the fold.

While you need to go back four decades to find an SPL winner that was NOT Celtic or a Rangers, this season could potentially be different. Currently, it is Hearts who sit top, one point clear of 2nd-place Rangers with five games to go. Celtic however, have rallied massively in recent games, and currently sit in 3rd place on 67 points, just three points adrift of Hearts on 70.

Could Martin O’Neill’s men turn things around and secure yet another title triumph? Here’s a look at the exact way in which Celtic could still win the Scottish Premiership this season.

Celtic Must Defeat Current Favourites

Fewer football rivalries are as fierce and competitive as the Glasgow Derby, which pits Celtic and the Rangers against one another.

Currently, it is Danny Rohl’s Rangers whom the bookies are backing to win the SPL, despite the fact that they’re currently sitting in 2nd place on 69 points, one point behind Hearts.

With the Scottish Premiership post-split fixtures set to kick off this weekend however, fans are looking ahead to Sunday 10th May when the Glasgow giants clash. Whilst the Glasgow Derby is always a must-win match for both teams, for Celtic, this really will be the ultimate must-win game. A draw simply will not cut it. The Hoops need to take maximum points and need to prevent the Rangers from picking up anymore.

Celtic Must Aim to Pick Up Maximum Points from Now On

Whilst the Glasgow Derby is the game which bookies and fans will be watching the closest, Celtic still have two league matches to play before then, and two after facing the Rangers. In order for them to potentially close the gap, or at the very least, pile the pressure on Rangers, and Hearts for that matter, they need to pick up max points.

On Saturday, Celtic will host Falkirk, before meeting Hibs away the following weekend. They will of course be favourites in both of those matches, but as we know in football, anything can happen.

In order to pile the pressure on favourites Rangers when they meet, they can’t afford to drop points. Put simply, they need to win both of those games. A draw simply will not cut it, and a defeat will likely all-but write off their title hopes this season. If Celtic beat Falkirk, they could temporarily move level on points at the top. That will not only be great mathematically, it will also surely work wonders for boosting the morale and belief of Martin O’Neill’s men.

Football Determines Winners, Not Supercomputers

With five games to go, it’s tighter than ever at the top, with Hearts currently sitting in first place.

Despite this however, the bookmakers and indeed, Opta’s supercomputer, currently have Rangers as favourites for the title. This probably isn’t something that The Hoops want to be hearing this late on into the season. Despite this, they need to remember that, ultimately, it’s football that determines winners, not AI, and not supercomputers.

Currently, the bookies and the computer are predicting that Rohl’s men will win the title come May 16th, while McInnes’ Hearts will come 2nd, with Celtic in 3rd. Considering the fact that The Hoops have not finished outside of the top two for more than three decades, they’ll be looking to ensure that that doesn’t happen.

Kelechi Iheanacho Must Be Used Right

Perhaps one of Martin O’Neill’s biggest headaches is going to be team selection.

Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates during Celtic’s 6-2 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday 19 April 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

With former Leicester striker Kelechi Iheanacho now back to fitness, and back finding the net, O’Neill must now decide how best to utilise the Nigerian forward. Is he best starting him in the hopes of capitalising on his momentum or would he be better off bringing him on as a sub if Celtic need goals?

With every goal mattering (don’t forget goal difference) Martin O’Neill must now decide how best to use, not only his forwards, but his entire squad.

Celtic Must Defeat Hearts on the Final Day

Saturday 16th May could potentially be one of the most exciting days in Scottish football history.

Assuming Rangers drop points (including to Celtic) and Celtic can close the gap, the SPL trophy could very well be decided on the final game of the season, when Celtic host Hearts.

Anthony Ralston celebrates during Celtic’s 6-2 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday 19 April 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

Hearts may well still be top of the table, but the bookies clearly think they could faulter, which is why they’re not the favourites. Despite Derek McInnes’ men sitting top of the table for much of the season, they have stumbled numerous times over the season, which is why they currently are only “enjoying” a one-point lead, rather than eight.

With Hearts perhaps showing signs of buckling under pressure and dropping what should have been easy points for them, Celtic will surely be smelling blood. If it comes down to the last game, Celtic have to win and defeat Hearts, it’s that simple. Then of course, they could potentially do the double in the Scottish Cup final, but let’s focus on winning the league first.