Celtic title win against Rangers looking highly unlikely

Celtic defeated Rangers 5-1 the last time the teams met at Celtic Park. Picture: John Devlin

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The Parkhead support would like nothing more than to officially wrap up the 2016/17 Ladbrokes Premiership crown against their fiercest rivals.

However, Aberdeen’s 2-1 victory over Kilmarnock means they’re unlikely to push far enough ahead of Derek McInnes’ side.

Celtic would need to win their next two fixtures, at home to Hamilton and away to Inverness CT, and hope Aberdeen only pick up two points from their three games before Brendan Rodgerss and his team face Rangers on 12 March.

That would take Celtic on to 79 points before the Glasgow derby, while Aberdeen would be stuck on 51 points. In this scenario, should Celtic defeat Rangers, they would be 31 points ahead of Aberdeen with only ten games (and 30 points) left to play for.

It’s not impossible, but seeing as Aberdeen are on a run of nine wins in ten, and play bottom six sides Ross County and Motherwell at home, along with Hamilton away, it’s highly unlikely Celtic will get their chance.

What they could do, however, is make it officially impossible for Rangers to win the title when the sides meet at Parkhead. For this to happen, Celtic cannot gain more than three points more than Rangers over the next two sets of fixtures.

If the two sides match each other’s totals over that time, say they both win each of their games, Celtic would be on 79 points and Rangers on 49. A Celtic victory would push them 33 points ahead with only ten to play. If Rangers stumble only once before the derby - they play Inverness CT away and then St Johnstone at home the following midweek - then Celtic would only require a draw.