Pressure Game At Pittodrie, Mcgregor & Critchley In Focus

Having fluffed their lines past weekend, Celtic person different chance to wrap up their 13th title successful 14 years, but that tin only hap if Rangers gaffe up.

We spell into nan past information of pre-split fixtures pinch 3 teams successful nan operation for nan 1 remaining spot successful nan apical half - and 2 of those spell head-to-head to really ramp up nan tension.

It's each spell astatine nan incorrect extremity of nan array too, pinch nan bottommost 3 each winning past clip retired to activity caller life into nan scrap for survival. A specified 4 points abstracted St Mirren successful seventh and Dundee successful 11th.

And past we person Hibs bidding to return their unthinkable unbeaten tally to 17 games.

With truthful galore plates spinning, let's analyse immoderate of nan things to look retired for...

Rangers astatine Pittodrie ever has an separator and this clip we person nan imaginable added herb of a location triumph clinching nan title for Celtic.

Aberdeen person recovered their mojo again successful nan title for 3rd place, pinch 4 wins and 2 draws from their past 7 Premiership matches.

Rangers are still waiting for a first location triumph nether Barry Ferguson but person won each of their past 5 distant convention games, scoring astatine slightest 3 each time.

There whitethorn beryllium a fewer tired legs aft Thursday's protect heroics against Athletic Bilbao and nan interim caput coach's squad action could beryllium influenced by nan travel to Spain adjacent week, pinch a spot successful nan past 4 of nan Europa League connected nan line.

However, fatigue was not a facet erstwhile Rangers won astatine Celtic Park past period conscionable 3 days aft extra-time and penalties against Fenerbahce.

The Dons are unbeaten successful 3 location convention games against Rangers (W2 D1) and are looking to triumph back-to-back for nan first clip since February 2006 nether Jimmy Calderwood.

Meanwhile, nan visitors are seeking back-to-back convention victories against Aberdeen for nan first clip since December 2022.

Only successful September 1899 and November 1957 person Rangers ever scored three-plus goals successful six consecutive distant convention victories.

In a wildly topsy turvy term, Rangers person besides conceded 2 aliases much goals successful each of their past six convention games. Yet, pinch 10 men, they kept Bilbao out.

Will they show nan aforesaid attraction and resoluteness against an Aberdeen broadside that has scored 10 successful their past 3 astatine location successful each competitions?

Early Sunday starts tin beryllium soporific affairs. This 1 should beryllium thing but.

To group up a imaginable title statement connected Sunday, Celtic request a triumph connected Saturday.

Given Kilmarnock person not enjoyed a triumph astatine Celtic Park since 2012 and beryllium 43 points down nan leaders, not galore are giving nan visitors a chance.

However, it was nan aforesaid communicative past play successful Perth erstwhile Brendan Rodgers' broadside were stunned by bottommost broadside St Johnstone.

Celtic person mislaid 3 of their past six convention games, which is much than successful their erstwhile 46 (W38 D6 L2), pinch Rodgers bemoaning a slackness successful mentality, saying "too galore of our players person been excessively comfortable".

It will autumn to skipper Callum McGregor to thrust standards and make judge nan champions play pinch nan aggression and tempo nan head demands.

McGregor sewage nan first extremity connected Kilmarnock's past sojourn successful nan Scottish Cup and was besides connected target astatine Rugby Park successful November.

One much will get him to double figures for nan first clip since 2019-20.

Neil Critchley still has his eyes connected a European spot contempt a 1-0 location nonaccomplishment to Dundee United leaving nan Edinburgh broadside 8 points adrift of 5th successful nan table.

Heart of Midlothian will person to make judge they decorativeness successful nan apical half successful bid to prosecute that ambition - and that is looking acold from definite pursuing a tally of 3 defeats successful their past 4 convention outings.

Victory astatine Fir Park connected Saturday wraps it up, but Motherwell person won six of their past 8 location encounters against nan Tynecastle side.

A tie would support nan Steelmen astatine bay but would unfastened nan doorway for St Mirren, who are astatine location to Ross County.

Of course, Hearts were stone bottommost erstwhile Critchley replaced Steven Naismith successful October, truthful in installments is owed for nan team's rise.

However, location is immense unit connected nan erstwhile Blackpool leader going into nan play and location will beryllium jitters astir his big-match record.

When Hearts needed a triumph astatine location to Petrocub of Moldova successful bid to make Conference League progress, they failed.

In 11 games against Celtic, Rangers, Hibs and Aberdeen, Critchley has recovered conscionable 1 win.

Only maximum points will do for Motherwell, who person gathered 1 constituent from 3 matches aft winning astatine Ibrox.

That could play into nan visitors' hands and Critchley will beryllium stressing nan value of nan first extremity since Brechin City are nan only home force Hearts person beaten distant from location this play aft conceding nan opener.