Image source, SNSImage caption, Three points separate Hearts, Rangers and Celtic with five games left
ByThomas DuncanBBC Sport Scotland- Published40 minutes ago
The Scottish Premiership split has happened and the title race kicks on in earnest. Three teams - Heart of Midlothian, Rangers and Celtic - separated by three points and fighting to be crowned champions.
They will now face each other, along with the rest of the top six, over the next three weeks or so to determine who is the best team in Scotland.
Given there have only been three times the top three have all won their matches on the same weekend, the advice is to expect the unexpected.
But let's have a stab at looking ahead to an epic weekend.
Celtic look to strike first blow
Champions Celtic are third and trail leaders Hearts by three points - uncharted territory for the country's dominant force for the last two decades.
However, given they play first this weekend - at home to Falkirk on Saturday (17:30 BST) - they have the opportunity to apply some early pressure.
Their chances of drawing level at the top, at least on paper, appear good despite falling well short of their usual standards in a rancorous and disjointed season.
Celtic have defeated sixth-placed Falkirk four times in four meetings this term, with the Bairns' solitary goal coming in a 4-1 League Cup defeat in August.
John McGlynn's men have been more competitive in those games than the scorelines suggest, but nonetheless Celtic would have every right to be confident.
Celtic fans will be refreshing their feeds for team news, looking to see if Kelechi Iheanacho and James Forrest have earned a starting berth.
The pair were decisive in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final, coming off the bench to help their team score four times in six minutes to see off St Mirren in extra-time.
Not having a reliable striker has been a weakness all season, so might Iheanacho put fitness issues behind him and step up when Celtic need him most?
Tavernier out to finish job for Rangers
Captain James Tavernier announced this week he will be leaving Rangers at the end of the season after 11 years at the club.
His legacy will be debated, but what's certain is a second league crown will bolster it hugely in this crazy season.
Sunday will be his penultimate appearance at Ibrox, against a side he has scored regularly against over the years in Motherwell (15:00 kick-off). In fact, Aberdeen are the only club the right-back has netted more times against.
Rangers fans will hope for another decisive intervention from him, but the visitors have been formidable opponents under Jens Berthel Askou as they chase European qualification.
They have drawn twice with Rangers at Fir Park and had a strong claim to have won both of those games given the chances they created.
Rangers, though, have been a different beast at Ibrox under Danny Rohl, having gone 10 unbeaten in the league at home, while winning nine of those.
Motherwell are also on their worst run of the season, losing four of their last five and drawing one to drop away from the top three.
A win for Rangers would take them two points clear of Hearts and crank up the pressure on the leaders before the Edinburgh side's huge match at 16:30.
Scottish Premiership title race
25/04/2026 from 14:00 BST
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Is Edinburgh derby Hearts' toughest test?
Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has labelled Sunday's meeting with Edinburgh rivals Hibernian as their toughest test.
That might raise a few eyebrows, but you can see why. Hibs dismantled Hearts for 50 minutes at Easter Road in December, storming into a 3-0 lead.
Hearts scored twice and were pressing for an equaliser by the end, but it was one of their most bruising experiences this season as they seek a first title since 1960.
Hibs, who are chasing European football for the second straight season, have their own motivations as well as the derby bragging rights and the glee of derailing their rivals' title tilt.
Hearts' away form is also a concern. They have picked up just one point from their last four away from Tynecastle - at bottom side Livingston - which is why Rangers and Celtic have edged closer.
Given three of their final five games are on the road, that needs to improve.
Plus, if the Old Firm win, Hearts will find themselves two points behind Rangers and level with Celtic at kick-off, which will present its own psychological challenge.
When all that is considered, it is easy to see why McInnes thinks it could be his team's biggest test.
However, if they win it, the momentum boost could be huge.
