When Celtic can win title, race for top six and relegation battle - what's at stake ahead of Premiership split

Love it or loathe it, the Scottish Premiership split is almost upon us with plenty at stake as club football returns following the international break.

Just three rounds of fixtures remain until the table divides into two sections, with the top six competing for the title and European places, while the bottom six are left to fight for their top flight survival.

The final matches before the split take place over the weekend of April 12 and 13 while the first post-split games come around on April 26 and 27, with the Scottish Cup semi-finals taking centre stage in between.

Here are the key battles to look out for ahead of the split...

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers pictured with the Scottish Premiership trophy last season. | SNS Group

When can Celtic win the title?

It says everything about Rangers' league form that despite winning the last two Old Firm derbies, it is still considered a foregone conclusion that Celtic will reclaim the title for a fourth season in a row. It appears only a matter of time for Brendan Rodgers' side as they hold a 13-point advantage at the top of the table with eight matches remaining. If both Celtic and Rangers win their three remaining matches before the split, then the earliest the Hoops can clinch the championship is their first post-split fixture, which is as yet unknown. However, were Rangers to lose any of their next three matches then the title could be decided before the split for the first time since 2016-17 when Celtic clinched it with eight matches to spare in Rodgers' first season of his first spell in charge. The Sky Sports cameras will be at Parkhead on Saturday, April 12 to capture a possible title party should Rangers slip up against Dundee or Hibs. If not, then all eyes will be on Rangers' final match before the split - a trip to Aberdeen on Sunday, April 13 - where they may need to win to avoid handing the title to Celtic on a plate.

Hibs head coach David Gray has taken his side from bottom spot to third place. | SNS Group

Race for top six

With only six points separating third-placed Hibs from Motherwell in seventh, the race to finish third behind Celtic and Rangers promises to be the most wide open in years. The rewards for finishing best of the rest can be huge with the guaranteed prospect of group-stage European football in next season's Conference League - and the £5million windfall that comes with it - providing Celtic win the Scottish Cup. This is the last campaign where this carrot will be dangled due to Scotland's slide down the Uefa coefficient rankings. Hibs will look at two winnable home games against St Johnstone and Dundee - either side of a trip to Ibrox - as a chance to further cement their position as leaders of the pack ahead of the split. The Easter Road side have been on a terrific run of form under David Gray, who was close to losing his job earlier in the season when Hibs slumped to the bottom of the table before embarking on a meteoric rise up the standings.

Aberdeen, Dundee United and Hearts are also firmly in the mix but the first focus for each of those clubs will be to secure their top six place. Motherwell are currently on the outside looking in but have taken seven points out of their last nine under new head coach Michael Wimmer. The Steelmen have ensured that the clubs occupying the positions immediately above them will be nervously looking over their shoulder, particularly Aberdeen and Dundee United, who are struggling for form. St Mirren and Ross County are both four points outside the top six and would likely need to win all their matches to stand a chance of sneaking in. Motherwell v Hearts in the final match before the split could be tasty given the teams are currently separated by a point in sixth and seventh.

St Johnstone head coach Simo Valakari is hoping to lead his side to Premiership survival. (Photo by Roddy Scott / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Relegation battle

St Johnstone are the team in gravest danger, sitting five points adrift at the bottom of the table and with the lowest expected goals tally in the division not helping their survival cause. Their remaining three matches before the split are all against top six sides - Hibs, Celtic and Dundee United - which will make it tough for Simo Valakari’s men to close the gap.

Dundee are also firmly in trouble as the side currently occupying the relegation play-off spot, but a 4-2 win over Dundee United before the international break - their first victory at Tannadice in 20 years - has provided a much-needed boost to Tony Docherty's men. They will be targeting the home match against St Mirren on Saturday, April 5 as a must-win either side of matches against Rangers and Hibs.

Kilmarnock, just one point ahead of the Dark Blues in 10th, are also in the deep in the relegation mire having collected just one point from the last four matches. St Mirren and Ross County have the comfort of being nine points ahead of bottom spot, but with 24 points still to play for, none of the clubs in the bottom half of the table can say they are safe from the spectre of relegation. Not so long ago it was Hearts fans who were fearing the drop, but Neil Critchley's in-form side have shot up the table into the top six with eyes now firmly on challenging for Europe.

Scottish Premiership pre-split fixtures (kick-offs 3pm unless stated)

Saturday, March 29

Aberdeen v Motherwell

Celtic v Hearts

Hibs v St Johnstone

St Mirren v Kilmarnock

Dundee v Rangers (5.30pm)

Sunday, March 30

Ross County v Dundee United (2.30pm)

Saturday, April 5

Dundee v St Mirren

Kilmarnock v Motherwell

Rangers v Hibs

Ross County v Aberdeen

Sunday, April 6

St Johnstone v Celtic (12pm)

Hearts v Dundee United (2.30pm)

Saturday, April 12

Celtic v Kilmarnock (12.30pm)

Dundee United v St Johnstone

Motherwell v Hearts

St Mirren v Ross County

Sunday, April 13

Aberdeen v Rangers (12pm)

Hibs v Dundee (2.30pm)