Teams still have three or four games until the Scottish Premiership splits into a top and bottom six for the remainder of the season but the picture is already coming into focus for Celtic.
Brendan Rodgers’ Bhoys play Livingston and Rangers away from home after the international break before a Celtic Park clash against St Mirren comes on April 13th.
Three wins from three will ensure that Celtic are at least one point ahead of Philippe Clement’s side going into the final five fixtures, which have yet to be confirmed.
However, with Hibernian or Dundee very likely to complete a top-six picture that also includes St Mirren, Kilmarnock and Hearts, we can start to gauge where and when Celtic will be playing.
Celtic’s post-split Premiership schedule
The SPFL confirmed the full set of dates earlier this month, including the final top six matchday on Saturday, May 18th when all fixtures will kick off at 12:30pm.
The schedule for Celtic is:
– Fixture round 34, weekend of April 27th/28th
– Fixture round 35, weekend of May 4th/5th
– Fixture round 36, weekend of May 11th/12th
– Fixture round 37, midweek of May 14th/15th
– Fixture round 38, Saturday May 18th at 12:30pm
Celtic’s post-split fixture scenarios
The SPFL don’t confirm the exact match-ups until placings are guaranteed but the Bhoys are set to play three home games and two away games regardless of who gets into the final top-six, while Rangers will be given two at home and three away.
This is simply to balance out the number of home and away games each team places across the entire 38-game campaign, 19 each.
Based on the table as it stands, Celtic face trips to play Kilmarnock and St Mirren away from home, while Rangers and Hearts visit Celtic Park.
If Dundee make it, social media analyst Scotland’s Coefficient reckons they are most likely to also be travelling to the Bhoys despite visiting Celtic Park twice already this season.
Hibernian would also be Celtic Park visitors if they end up being the sixth-placed side.
The final derby of the season is very likely to take place in one of the first three post-split fixture slots with the SPFL traditionally not keen to schedule mid-week or final-day derbies.
It’s all shaping up to be one of the tightest title races for years, especially if Celtic secure a positive result at Ibrox in the upcoming derby on April 7th.
This one could go right down to the wire on that final Saturday.
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