It has been that kind of season for Celtic: messy, unpredictable, and still somehow alive.
The Hoops remain right in the title fight with three games left, something that looked unlikely not so long ago. The win at Easter Road will not live long in the memory, but nobody inside the dressing room will care about that now.
Martin O’Neill’s side have made it five wins on the bounce in all competitions. At this stage, performance levels come second. Points are everything.
They sit three behind with nine to play for. That is the reality. Simple as that.
Hearts’ comeback win over Rangers on Monday has all but stripped this down to a two-horse race. There are no distractions now, no third party lurking. It is there to be chased down.
The bigger picture makes it even more striking. This Celtic squad has been questioned all season, and not without reason. Inconsistency, injuries, and off-field noise have all played their part in leaving them with ground to make up.
That they are still here says something.
Mark Hendry put it bluntly when speaking on CeltsAreHere Extra Time, outlining just what is on the line for O’Neill:
“In the midst of all the rowing, the feuding, the Wilfried Nancy debacle and O’Neill – by no fault of his own – having one of the weakest Celtic squads in recent memory to deal with, the Hoops can still have a very successful campaign.
“If the manager can drag his side across the finish line in first place, it may be his most significant ever accomplishment.
“No club has ever won the league after losing eight games in a season. At this point, that statistic simply looks like just another record for Celtic to shatter.”
It is not a badge of honour, losing that many games. Nobody at Celtic will dress it up that way. But it does underline the scale of the task.
O’Neill has kept this side in it when it could easily have drifted.
Hearts hold the advantage. They are in front, and they know it. Celtic, though, have given themselves a shot, and in a season like this, that carries weight.
There is still a Scottish Cup final to come, another pressure point waiting down the line. That can wait.
The focus is on Sunday. The final derby of the season arrives with everything hanging in the balance. Win that, and the noise ramps up again. Drop points, and it could all be over.
Nothing about this season has followed a script so far; no reason to expect it to start now.
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