The title race is reaching fever pitch and the three Record Sport experts have their say on the next run of games
12:00, 17 Feb 2026
Record Sport columnists Ryan Stevenson, Chris Sutton and Barry Ferguson
An enthralling Premiership title race is tighter than ever after a Super Sunday in the top flight.
Just three points separate the top three and that gap can get even closer if champions Celtic, in their quest for a fifth domestic crown, win their game in hand over leaders Hearts and second placed Rangers.
It’s set up to be a fascinating February and mad March spell – including an huge Old Firm derby – that could go a long way to determining the destination of this season’s trophy.
Bookmakers Betfair have Celtic as 17/20 favourites to make it five-in-a-row with rivals Rangers now next in the betting (2/1), replacing Hearts as second favourites after their win over the leaders at Ibrox on Sunday. The Jambos are now out to 7/2.
Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: “Having secured a dramatic comeback win against Kilmarnock on Sunday, odds on Celtic to retain the Scottish Premiership title have been slashed to 17/20 from Evens. Glasgow rivals Rangers have also seen their odds slashed to 2/1, having been 5/2 prior to their 4-2 victory at Ibrox against Hearts. Meanwhile the table-toppers have drifted to 7/2 to lift the trophy with the gap at the top cut to just two points.”
Here, Record Sport asks each of our three columnists – Chris Sutton, Barry Ferguson and Ryan Stevenson – to predict the results of the next five games for their former club.
Hearts (P27, 57 points) – Ryan Stevenson
Falkirk (H) February 21: Every time Hearts have had a setback this season, they’ve responded really well and it will be the same this weekend. Falkirk put them out of the Scottish Cup at Tynecastle but here’s a necessity to win this one after Ibrox and they will.
Prediction: Hearts 3 Falkirk 1
Aberdeen (H) February 28: Home advantage will be crucial to Hearts over the next few weeks and Aberdeen are in poor form. It won’t be easy but with the crowd behind them they can pick up another vital three points.
Prediction: Hearts 2 Aberdeen 1
Kilmarnock (A) March 14: Rugby Park is a horrible place to go at the best of times but even more so now with Neil McCann in charge as he’s got them going again.
KILMARNOCK, SCOTLAND – OCTOBER 18: Hearts’ Claudio Braga celebrates after scoring to make it 2-0 during a William Hill Premiership match between Kilmarnock and Heart of Midlothian at The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park, on October 18, 2025, in Kilmarnock, Scotland. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)
Hearts’ record isn’t great there but they’ll find a way and can scrape a one-goal victory. That’s a day when they’ll need their defence to hold firm.
Prediction: Kilmarnock 0 Hearts 1
Dundee (H) March 21: Dundee have improved but I can see Hearts blowing them away in this game at Tynecastle. By that stage, the home crowd will be raucous for every game and that will be a huge factor in them picking up victories.
Prediction: Hearts 4 Dundee 0
Livingston (A) April 4: This will be like a home game for Hearts. They’ll sell out the whole ground and take over. With Livi all but down and Hearts going for the title I can see them trampling all over the home side and getting a comfortable win.
Prediction: Livingston 0 Hearts 3
Hearts total points prediction: 15
Rangers (P27, 55 points) – Barry Ferguson
Livingston (A) February 22: I think Rangers will have learned their lessons after poor performances on the road at Hibs and Motherwell. They won’t make the same mistake against Livi. I don’t think this one will even be close. Rangers will win it with something to spare.
Prediction: Livingston 0 Rangers 2
Celtic (H) March 1: These games are always hard to call but Rangers are at home and Ibrox is becoming a real fortress again. The atmosphere was electric at the weekend and it’ll be even noisier when Celtic come calling. Rangers will be too strong.
Prediction: Rangers 3 Celtic 1
St Mirren (A) March 15: St Mirren away is always a difficult fixture and it’s hard to know what shape Rangers will be in by then with injuries and suspensions.
Theo Aassgaard of Rangers vies with Killian Phillips
But even Stephen Robinson has admitted his side hasn’t been itself for the last eight weeks. Rangers should have just enough to get the win but it’ll be tight.
Prediction: St Mirren 1 Rangers 2
Aberdeen (H) March 21: This one should be much more straightforward. Rangers will be back at Ibrox against an Aberdeen side which hasn’t been great this season and still has an interim manager. Rangers will win this one quite comfortably.
Prediction: Rangers 3 Aberdeen 0
Dundee United (H) April 4: This should be something similar. Dundee United have been up and down all season and Jim Goodwin has not been happy with the amount of goals they’ve been conceding. With the energy inside Ibrox it could be another long night for them.
Prediction: Rangers 2 Dundee United 0
Predicted total points for Rangers: 15
Celtic (P26, 54 points) – Chris Sutton
Hibs (H) February 22: Bearing in mind I have no idea how Celtic are going to come out of Thursday against Stuttgart, it’s hard to know. However, as it stands right now, it’ll be tight. Celtic haven’t been convincing in the past three games and just limped past three of the bottom four. They might just have enough on home soil, depending on how they come out of the Stuttgart match.
Prediction: Celtic 2 Hibs 1
Rangers (A) March 1: Again, tough one to call right now given the fact Celtic will be coming back into it straight from an away Euro game in Germany. All things being equal, judging at this moment in time, Rangers might just edge that. Would it be a defining result in the campaign? No because there would still be time left for Celtic, or Rangers, to recover from an adverse result.
Prediction: Rangers 2 Celtic 1
Aberdeen (A) March 4: Always a tricky game for Celtic in the Granite City. And Aberdeen might have a new boss by then. I think Tony Docherty returning to join Peter Leven in the meantime is a good move for the Dons.
Celtic’s Yang Hyunjun and Aberdeen’s Emmanuel Gyamfi in action
It’s going to be tough for Martin O’Neill’s team, but they could dig that one out as they have done in both meetings against the Dons this season.
Prediction: Aberdeen 1 Celtic 2
Motherwell (H) March 14: Motherwell have shown they are the best footballing team in the country and they are brilliantly coached by boss Jens-Berthel Askou. If Celtic were playing Motherwell at home today, I’d fancy the Steelmen to win the game. I’ve no idea how things will look for both teams a month from now, but I can only go on the here and now, so I’ll say, on current form, away win.
Prediction: Celtic 0 Motherwell 2
Dundee United (A) March 22: Celtic messed it up at Tannadice under Wilfried Nancy, but were too good for United on home soil in the return when O’Neill was in charge and I’d suggest that the away team would have enough to get that game won.
Prediction: Dundee United 1 Celtic 2
Predicted total points for Celtic: 9