CELTIC’s dramatic win over Rangers means the champions could win clinch the league and eight in a row as soon as this Saturday.
The champions-elect are on 73 points, Rangers sit on 60, 13 behind, with seven games still to play of the 38-game league season. This means there are 21 points still to play for.
There is a full card on Wednesday. Celtic go to struggling St Mirren and Rangers are at home to Hearts.
A win for Craig Levein’s men coupled with victory for Neil Lennon’s side in Paisley would leave a gap of 16 points after 32 games with then only 18 points to play for.
This would mean, if our arithmetic is correct, that Celtic would need only one more win which would set them up to seal the title against Livingston at what would be a packed Parkhead on Saturday afternoon - a game which for the moment is not live on television.
If Rangers beat Hearts and Celtic also win on Wednesday evening, that would keep the gap at 16 points with 18 points available over the final six matches.
Should Scott Brown and his team-mates beat Livingston, they would become champions the next day, on Sunday, without playing but only if Rangers lose to Motherwell.
If Celtic draw against Livingston, the gap going into the Sunday would be 17 points. Rangers would in that circumstance need to win at Fir Park to delay the inevitable until after the split.
And if Celtic lose over the next week, then league chiefs will be busy trying to ensure that they can’t clinch the title at Ibrox after the split.
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