The Scottish Premiership title race remains thrilling, with exciting developments in the contests for European qualification, top-six placements, and the struggle to avoid relegation.
Heart of Midlothian clinched a dramatic victory in the Edinburgh derby on Tuesday, while Rangers’ draw against Motherwell has left the Tynecastle club with a comfortable lead over both Old Firm sides.
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Falkirk has solidified its position in the top six, while Livingston continues to fall behind Kilmarnock and Dundee above them.
Here are some key matchups to watch this Saturday and Sunday.
Match of the Weekend – Rangers vs. Hearts
A last-minute goal from Stephen Welsh, on loan from Celtic to Motherwell, prevented Rangers from taking the top spot from Hearts when they face each other at Ibrox on Sunday.
The 1-1 draw at Fir Park leaves Danny Rohl’s side five points behind the leaders from Gorgie.
Hearts’ resilience has often been questioned, yet they consistently rise to the challenge.
After a defeat to St Mirren, they managed to secure another derby victory against Hibernian at the last minute.
Hearts continue to apply pressure on the Glasgow rivals, having triumphed over Rangers and Celtic both at Tynecastle and in their respective homes.
A draw would suffice for Derek McInnes and his team; however, Hearts have demonstrated they can win at Govan.
Rohl has revitalized a struggling Rangers side, and his January signings appear to be well thought out.
This match represents the toughest test yet for Rangers’ championship ambitions and their ability to endure the mental strain.
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Player to Watch – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Celtic)
Celtic’s new signings have made quite an impact this season.
Kelechi Iheanacho, Junior Adamu, and now Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all scored late winners in their debuts.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is the most prominent name among the new arrivals. The former England international had not played in a competitive match since his last game for Besiktas in May but made a spectacular return by scoring the winning goal against Livingston in the 92nd minute on Wednesday.
At 32, he brings significant experience. “A very, very, very, very fine player,” was how interim manager Martin O’Neill described him.
While questions lingered about Oxlade-Chamberlain’s match readiness amid criticism of Celtic’s transfer strategy, he certainly silenced those concerns with his late goal.
It remains to be seen how O’Neill will manage his new player’s involvement on Kilmarnock’s artificial pitch, but Oxlade-Chamberlain’s skill and experience could be crucial as the season progresses.
Manager in Focus – Jim Goodwin (Dundee United)
Just a couple of months ago, Dundee United celebrated a victory over Celtic at Tannadice, closing the gap to fourth place. Optimism was high after a tumultuous first half of the season.
Since then, however, Jim Goodwin’s squad has managed to secure only one league win, against the struggling Livingston, in seven games.
Those two victories—against the champions and the bottom team—are their only successes since late October, translating to just two wins in 15 matches.
This weekend presents a daunting challenge as they travel to face a formidable Falkirk side that has secured a stronghold in the top six.
Only Celtic, Hearts, and St Mirren have claimed full points from Falkirk this season.
Goodwin’s team finds itself in danger of being drawn into a relegation battle, sitting five points above 11th-placed Kilmarnock but with two games in hand.
St Mirren and Dundee are right behind, while only the bottom two clubs have conceded more goals than United.
After watching his team squander a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 to Hibs in stoppage time, Goodwin described his defense as “pathetically poor” during critical moments.
With the midweek match against Aberdeen postponed, he has had extra time to reflect on that defeat, and now he and his players must respond positively.