Michael Stewart claims Rangers and Celtic blood will be coming to boil after midweek result sparking annoyance
The pundit has been looking over the title race landscape in Scotland currently.
Michael Stewart reckons another midweek result will have both Rangers and Celtic far from pleased.
The former Hearts and Hibs midfielder was on co-commentary duty for Premier Sports as his ex-sides collided in their latest Edinburgh derby. It was won 1-0 by Hearts through a late Tomas Magnusson goal in the second half and with the Jambos on top of the Premiership, it’s a result that Rangers and Celtic had rather stayed goalless.
It means Hearts remain top ahead of a crucial showdown at Ibrox this weekend while current champions Celtic are also keen to make up ground. Stewart knows Hearts weren’t at their best midweek but still winning amid that will have blood close to boiling along the M8.
Michael Stewart on Rangers, Celtic and Hearts title race
Stewart was asked if not playing well and winning was the sign of a possible champion and he agreed, adding that tension coming out of both sides in Glasgow will be reaching feverish levels. He said: “Yep, absolutely, and this game sums it up perfectly. Look at the celebrations, look at the passion from the manager there. The changing room will be absolutely rocking after this. As I said before, the disappointment and the frustration and the annoyance along the M8 in Glasgow on both sides will be palpable.”
Former Rangers star Alan Hutton was also on the panel and said: “That's what it takes to be champions, when you don't have the best performance, but you still find a way and you grind down the result. You get the three points and it's huge for this team going forward. Because if they didn't get it, you're looking then to Sunday thinking how big this game is and the pressure starts to build. But fair play to them, they hung in. Hibs had opportunities like the last derby here, but they didn't take them. Hearts came up, a huge moment and they managed to take it.”
Celtic favourite Charlie Mulgrew was another pundit on derby duty but reckons the current leaders will soon fall away. He said: They showed some great resilience, Hearts, and it was one where they had to step up. I still think they’ll fall away.
Charlie Mulgrew on title race
“I’m just basing it on my feeling. My gut feeling is they won’t sustain this over a season. That’s my feeling. Now I said they would be eight points behind in March, and they would be nowhere near it, because that was my feeling.
“I had no evidence to suggest that Hearts could go, in my lifetime, and put a title challenge in place. Now, are they putting a title challenge in place? Yes, there’s a long way to go when that split comes.”
It’s Hearts at home for Rangers this weekend and a win would be huge for their aspirations of a first title since 2021. Celtic will hope for dropped points all around as they entertain Kilmarnock at Rugby Park prior to kick-off in Govan