Celtic legend Scott Brown has wasted no time in issuing his title prediction as the post-split fixtures begin this weekend.
With five games left, the picture is still messy. Results have swung wildly all season and nothing has settled for long.
Martin O’Neill will be focused on Falkirk this Saturday at 5.30pm, the first of those final fixtures. The margins are tight, and there is little room for another slip.
Brown still backs Celtic to get it done. He has Hearts finishing second and Rangers in third. The run-in is set to throw up plenty more twists and turns.
He sees the home fixtures as decisive. Speaking on The Warm-Up, Brown said:
“Celtic’s two home games. Rangers and Hearts. That’s the biggest thing.
“I still think Celtic will grind it out, especially at home. I always back Celtic, especially when they are that close. They have done it before. They know how to do it. I think Hearts and Rangers, everyone is going to drop points. But I think the big games for Celtic, we have Hearts and Rangers at home.”
Kris Boyd pushed back on that, pointing out that the Hoops have not beaten either Hearts or Rangers at home this season. Brown was not interested:
“It doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t.”
That confidence comes from experience. Brown has been through these run-ins before and knows how quickly things can swing when pressure kicks in.
Hearts have had the edge over Celtic this season and remain unbeaten against them. That is a fact, but it does not carry much weight now.
Form across the year only goes so far when everything is on the line in five games.
Their 6-2 win over St Mirren to book their place in the Scottish Cup final was a reminder of what they can produce. Goals like that have not come often this season.
The question now is whether they can find that level again when it matters most. This is the point where titles are either taken or lost. Brown is backing his former side to take it.
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