'It's theirs to lose' - Former Rangers and Hearts star weighs in on Scottish Premiership title race
A former Rangers and Hearts striker has given his title race verdict
Former Scottish Premiership striker Kevin Kyle has given his verdict on this season’s title race as two of his former clubs engage in a tense battle for first place.
Hearts have led the table for much of the season after a summer in which Brighton owner and chairman Tony Bloom invested in the Edinburgh outfit, while Celtic recently rose back above arch-rivals Rangers into second place but remain five points off the top. Motherwell retain outside hopes but saw their chances quashed somewhat by defeat at Dundee last time out.
Kyle came through the ranks at Ayr United and after spending the majority of his career in England, returned to his homeland to play for Kilmarnock, Hearts and Rangers before eventually returning to Ayr a full 15 years after his departure.
He spoke on his feelings for the remainder of the Premiership title race, claiming that one side are clear favourites to get their hands on the trophy.
Kyle claims Hearts are clear title favourites
Kyle told Go Radio that Hearts are title favourites: “It's theirs to lose, absolutely 100% correct. When you actually break down the fixtures that are left though, and then chuck the split in. Hearts have got to play Rangers, Celtic, Motherwell twice and then your greatest rivals in Hibs, who, all credit to David Gray, they've started picking up results.
“See if you actually go into the season, every club will be the same in that top five, but if you look at some of the results where Hibs have drew, where they've been leading and lost or lost the last minute, they also could have been in the mix. So they're not going to give up a fight because they might have that idea, we might just sneak in. If everybody starts beating everybody, we might sneak in and get a European spot. So Hearts have nine games the same as Celtic and Rangers, they're not going to be easy.
“I was invited down for Saturday night but I have had to change the plans, Kilmarnock are fighting for their lives trying to avoid that play-off spot. Neil McCann, former Hearts player, you don’t know. Kilmarnock are fighting for their lives. Hearts go down there and get a draw, Celtic beat Motherwell at home, you go into the Saturday night and it’s three points of a difference. Rangers win and they’re four points behind. There is so much to play for.”
Kyle responds to Rohl’s optimistic title claims
Kyle added in a response to Rangers boss Danny Rohl’s claims that ‘six points in football goes quick, it could be two matchdays, and then we will speak in a different way’, claiming that Rohl is clinging onto the prospect of the Jambos dropping points.
Kyle said: “He says you'll see the type of person while he sounds absolutely miserable as hell. He's talking about getting six points. That's him expecting Hearts to drop six points. So that's alright saying you'll get six points, but if Hearts get six points, it's still just going to be six points behind.
“I like the positivity from him trying to encourage that he's going to keep going and they're going to succeed but Celtic and Rangers are both in the same boat. They're relying on other teams to take points off of Hearts to give themselves a chance.”