Celtic Gains Momentum in Scottish Premiership Title Race with Two Games Left

Hearts have topped the Scottish Premiership since October and hold a one-point lead over Celtic with two games remaining. But former Celtic midfielder Neil Lennon said the reigning champions now favor to claim the title after their 3-1 derby victory over Rangers on Sunday ended the challengers' lingering hopes.

The trophy's fate likely hinges on Hearts' visit to Celtic Park next Saturday, setting up a potential season-ending showdown. Hearts lead but must travel to Glasgow, raising questions about current momentum.

Lennon, whose Dunfermline Athletic faces Celtic in the Scottish Cup final this month, said momentum lies with his old club. Recent results support that assessment.

Celtic have won six straight games across all competitions since a March loss to Dundee United at Tannadice, including five league victories that cut into Hearts' advantage. They also took all four home matches since Hibernian's February win cast doubt on their title bid, scoring 10 goals while conceding three.

Hearts sit unbeaten in six but relied on comebacks in their last five to avoid defeat. They won three but dropped points at Livingston and Motherwell on Saturday, letting Celtic close the gap.

Celtic face Motherwell at Fir Park on Wednesday, while Hearts host Falkirk, a team with little at stake. Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner agreed his old side carries momentum into the final matches.

"There's a lot of work still to be done," Bonner told BBC Scotland's Sportsound. "The Motherwell game is massive but if Celtic keep that intensity up, you can see them capitalising against a team who will want to play from the back. I anticipate both teams will win on Wednesday and it will be hell for leather at Celtic Park."

If the title race reaches a final-day clash, former Scotland winger Pat Nevin highlighted three factors favoring Celtic. Manager Martin O'Neill has eased tensions between fans and the board that surfaced before his return as interim boss this season.

"Getting rid of the toxicity at Celtic Park has been immense," Nevin said. "Celtic Park is an incredibly hard place to play when there is that noise and he's got it back."

Nevin added that Hearts head coach Derek McInnes must worry about mounting injuries deep down. Centre-back Craig Halkett and midfielder Marc Leonard suffered serious knocks at Fir Park, and forward Claudio Braga appeared exhausted in the last two games.

Nevin also noted the shadow of 1986, when Albert Kidd's two goals for Dundee cost Hearts the title and delivered it to Celtic, could loom large before a tense finale.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor said after Sunday's big win over city rivals, "it's in our hands." Only a Motherwell defeat combined with a Hearts victory would derail a final-day meeting.

O'Neill called the remaining fixtures "two mountains to climb" in his bid for a fourth Scottish title and first in 22 years. The 74-year-old Northern Irishman added, "I've never been confident. People have said to me about momentum and momentum can get shifted at any given moment. We have to win because I would expect Hearts to win. We've a really difficult match at Motherwell, but I think the run that we're on gives us confidence to compete."

O'Neill sidestepped talk of his future or an Old Firm derby when asked if a league and cup double might keep him at Celtic. Lennon suggested players would rally for a winning farewell to the veteran.

Hearts went unbeaten against Celtic this season, winning two of three meetings. Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday, once of Hearts and Rangers, called O'Neill's impact key.

"Of Celtic's January signings, none are in the starting line-up," Halliday said. "So what he's done is make all the players Celtic already had at their disposal better. Celtic are on a five-game winning run. You talk about mentality and playing your best level at the right time and Celtic have hit theirs now. But Hearts, for 30 weeks in a row now, are just finding ways to win, so it's going to be a very interesting finish. We were salivating for these post-split fixtures and they've been everything we hoped for. I don't think that's going to change."