Celtic and Rangers told league is 'up for grabs' despite Hearts dominance as split factor breeds uncertainty
The Dunfermline Athletic boss believes ‘anything can happen’ in the last five Premiership fixtures.
Neil Lennon believes the heroics of Hearts so far this season further highlight the downfall of both Celtic and Rangers - but he maintains that history tells us the split will have a say in who wins the title race.
The Jambos are three points clear of Rangers and five ahead of Celtic with just two matches to go until the all-important Premiership split. Celtic will have the advantage of being at home against their title race rivals in the last five games, while Rangers will have to travel to both Parkhead and Tynecastle. Motherwell, Hibs and Falkirk may not be in contention for the championship crown but could also still have a massive say in who emerges victorious come may.
Rangers endured a disastrous start to the season under the stewardship of Russell Martin while Celtic’s mid-season wobble under Wilfried Nancy meant they lost ground on their Edinburgh rivals. Lennon believes Hearts have been the league’s consistent performers but has questioned whether they’ll have enough in the tank to go the distance.
Lennon on post-split factor
Speaking on Not Another Football Podcast alongside his old teammates, Jackie McNamara and Simon Donnelly, Lennon made reference to ‘Helicopter Sunday’, where Celtic lost the league on the final day against Rangers while claiming the league is still impossible to predict.
He said: “I think Hearts being where they are is amazing, maybe it’s a black mark against the big two. They normally dominate the scene and I think they have been poor by their standards, particularly Celtic. But I still think it’s up for grabs. I remember in 2005 we were five clear going into the split and we lost it on the last day so anything can happen. But Celtic need to find consistency.
"Celtic are going to have to dig in. Rangers and Hearts are really strong at home, but the away form is a little bit iffy. Celtic have never kicked on all season. You expect it [a run of results] because they have done it before. They have been digging out results all season without playing well. The thing they have got to their advantage is they have got Rangers at home and Hearts at home.”
Where might Hearts slip up?
There have been very few slip-ups for the Jambos so far this season and even when they have tasted defeat, it’s more often than not been followed up with a victory the following week. Hearts still have to face Motherwell twice before the end of the season - a side they have drawn both their previous matches against. They will also have to travel across the capital to play Hibs at Easter Road, where they lost in December.
Lennon believes Jambos boss Derek McInnes is the right man to navigate them through their tough upcoming fixtures but has questioned their players’ inexperience. He continued: "Hearts have got a derby away. It’s really on Hearts to put out big performances. They have never been there before [title contenders]. I think they have got the manager to do it. Del [Derek McInnes] is strong, he has got longevity and he has taken Hearts a long way, but whether the players are good enough to do it I don’t know.”
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