Scottish Premiership: Are Hearts, Rangers, Celtic and Motherwell locked in four-way title race battle?
Hearts are four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership, with Rangers second; Celtic are two points behind their Old Firm rivals in third, while Motherwell are four points further back but both have a game in hand; watch Rangers vs Celtic on Sunday live on Sky Sports
Tuesday 24 February 2026 14:05, UK
Can you call it? Maybe, but you'd be guessing.
The 2025/26 Scottish Premiership title race has thrown up more twists and turns than any of its previous instalments.
Champions Celtic, who have won 13 of the last 14 titles at a canter, have been chasing underdogs Hearts for the majority of the season. A resurgent Rangers, who sacked their head coach, sporting director and chief executive after their worst-ever start to a league campaign, joined the race in the winter. Now, a fourth force could be emerging, as dark horses Motherwell close in on the top three.
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As we approach 'the split', there are four managers looking to make history - none of whom were in post this time last year.
Hearts favourites for historic title?
Opta reckons so, as do the bookmakers, and no wonder.
Come the weekend, Hearts will have led the way at the top of the Scottish Premiership for 22 weeks.
It has been labelled a fairy-tale season so far. A David vs Goliath story of the underdogs, dwarfed in resources, taking it to the Old Firm.
But the bible recounts that tale as one of faith and courage, where an inferior topples an adversary blinded by arrogance. That story does not reflect what has happened in Scotland this year.
Yes, this is an underdog story; Hearts are not in the same universe as the Old Firm when it comes to resources. But Derek McInnes' side are top of the league because they have been the best team on the pitch - not because they have been braver than Rangers or Celtic.
Most points, most goals, and just one defeat in six against the Glasgow clubs.
They lead by four points and arguably have the kindest run of pre-split fixtures.
Three home games and two away matches against the league's bottom two sides. Maximum points is not just achievable, but should be expected before they face potential title rivals Motherwell on matchday 33.
With the Old Firm due to play each other this weekend, Hearts will be quietly hoping that their four-point advantage will grow before we enter the split.
Rangers' away day blues?
When Danny Rohl took charge, Rangers trailed Hearts by 13 points, the very fact that they're even in a title race should be commended.
But as is the nature of football in Glasgow, if they don't win the league, this season will still be considered a failure.
When they beat the league leaders 4-2 at Ibrox the weekend before last, the gap had been cut to two points - a statement victory.
But Sunday's 2-2 draw with Livingston was their third consecutive away draw - not exactly title-winning crusading.
In fact, for as great as Rohl has been in turning things around, he's only won 5 of his 14 matches away from Ibrox across all competitions.
Two tricky fixtures on their travels in there, both at venues Rangers haven't won at this season - oh and the small matter of a home Old Firm game as well.
With the Light Blues set to face a further three away trips post-split, they must improve their form on the road if they want to claim a historic 56th top-flight title.
That being said, Rangers spent over £20m in potential transfer outlays in January, and early indications suggest those players will pay dividends. The same can't be said for their rivals across the city...
Key period to define Celtic's season?
Ten days, four consecutive away matches, three competitions, and two Old Firm games.
It's make-or-break for Martin O'Neill's Celtic - on three fronts.
Perhaps the European dream is dead already - they trail Stuttgart 4-1 ahead of Thursday's second leg in Germany - but losing that would mean three defeats in a row for the first time since… Wilfried Nancy.
They then face back-to-back weekend visits to Ibrox. First in the league, then in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup, with a rearranged trip to Pittodrie sandwiched in between too.
If that wasn't hard enough, high-flying Motherwell come to Celtic Park in the league the following weekend.
Is it season-defining? Of course it is, O'Neill has already admitted as much.
It's all about points and wins, but performances must improve too. Celtic had been riding their luck before consecutive losses to Stuttgart and Hibernian.
They were rescued by injury-time goals in their three previous matches against Dundee, Livingston and Kilmarnock; three of the league's bottom four.
You could even make a case to say that they've only had one convincing league victory since O'Neill replaced Nancy at the turn of the year - a 4-0 home win over Dundee United in his first game back.
However, across O'Neill's two interim spells, no other club has picked up more points: Celtic 31, Rangers 26, Hearts and Motherwell 23.
Magical Motherwell in the mix?
Why do most still disregard Motherwell as being in the title race?
Probably for the same reason it took them so long to recognise Hearts as genuine title contenders - these things just aren't meant to happen.
Hearts haven't won the league for 66 years. Motherwell's sole top-flight title was in 1932. Nobody outside Glasgow has won it for 41 years.
But if you choose to ignore history and live in the present, the numbers will tell you that Motherwell are right in this fight.
They have conceded the fewest goals in the league, in fact, the fewest in Britain, and only Roma have a better defensive record when compared to Europe's top five leagues.
Jens Berthel Askou's side boast an impressive clean sheet tally of 15, better than any side in Scotland or Europe's top five leagues.
They're not bad going forward either. After dismantling League Cup winners St Mirren 5-0 on Saturday, Motherwell have the joint-highest goal difference in the division, level on +27 with leaders Hearts.
They sit fourth, 10 points off the top with a game in hand, and have the chance to strike direct blows on Hearts and Celtic before the split.
It's arguably the most difficult run of pre-split fixtures with two away ties against sides above them in the league, but Askou's side fear no one. Their domination of both Old Firm clubs at Fir Park in recent months is evidence of that.
Home form could be crucial too. Motherwell haven't lost in Lanarkshire since October - their only home defeat of the season.
