Are Celtic now favourites to win Scottish Premiership?

Image source, SNSImage caption, Martin O'Neill is in his second spell in charge of Celtic this season

Watch on iPlayerHearts have led the Scottish Premiership since October and remain one point ahead of Celtic with two games to go - but are the reigning champions now favourites to win the title?

Former Celtic midfielder Neil Lennon suggested so after Martin O'Neill's side ended Rangers' lingering title hopes with a 3-1 derby win on Sunday.

With two games to go, it looks like the destination of the trophy will not be decided until Hearts visit Celtic Park next Saturday in what would be a monumental head-to-head climax to the season.

The Edinburgh club are ahead, but still have to go to Glasgow. So where does the momentum lie now?

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The recent statistics certainly back up that view.

Since losing to Dundee United at Tannadice in March, they have won six in a row in all competitions, with the five in the league gradually eating into Hearts' lead.

Celtic have also won all four of their home games since Hibernian placed question marks on their title credentials with a victory in February, scoring 10 times for the loss of only three in front of their own fans.

Hearts are themselves unbeaten in six, but they have had to dig deep into their powers of resilience to come from behind to avoid defeat in their latest five.

And, while they managed to win three of those, dropped points at Livingston and in Motherwell on Saturday allowed Celtic the opportunity to eat into their lead.

O'Neill's men face a hazardous trip of their own to Fir Park on Wednesday, while Hearts host a Falkirk side with nothing to play for.

However, former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner also thinks Celtic have "got a nice momentum going" into the final two games.

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Martin O'Neill's reaction to the win against Rangers

"I anticipate both teams will win on Wednesday and it will be hell for leather at Celtic Park."

If it comes down to a showdown on the final day, former Scotland winger Pat Nevin sees three big factors that could favour Celtic.

O'Neill has - in part, at least - healed the disconnect between fans and board that appeared before he returned for his second spell as interim manager this season.

"Getting rid of the toxicity at Celtic Park has been immense," Nevin said. "Celtic Park is an incredibly hard place to play when there is that noise and he's got it back."

Nevin also believes that "in his heart of hearts", head coach Derek McInnes "must be getting worried about the amount of injuries".

Centre-back Craig Halkett and midfielder Marc Leonard both picked up serious injuries at Fir Park, while Nevin believes forward Claudio Braga has "looked exhausted" in the last two games.

Nevin also expects the spectre of 1986 - when two Albert Kidd goals for Dundee denied Hearts the title and handed it to Celtic - will be prominent in the build-up to a potentially nerve-shredding final day.

Image caption, Rangers can now only finish in third place

Celtic captain Callum McGregor pointed out "it's in our hands" after Sunday's "huge win" over their city rivals.

Only defeat by Motherwell on Wednesday, combined with a Hearts win, will prevent a final-day showdown.

Nevertheless O'Neill believes Celtic still have "two mountains to climb" if he is to lead them to the Scottish title for a fourth time - and his first in 22 years.

"I've never been confident," the 74-year-old Northern Irishman said. "People have said to me about momentum and momentum can get shifted at any given moment.

"We have to win because I would expect Hearts to win. We've a really difficult match at Motherwell, but I think the run that we're on gives us confidence to compete."

O'Neill would not be drawn on whether it would be his final Old Firm derby when asked if a league and cup double might persuade him to stay on at Celtic.

However, Lennon thinks giving the veteran a winning send-off will be another motivating factor for the players.

Hearts are unbeaten against Celtic this season, winning two of the three meetings, but Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday also pointed to the O'Neill factor as potentially crucial.

"Of Celtic's January signings, none are in the starting line-up," the former Hearts and Rangers player said. "So what he's done is make all the players Celtic already had at their disposal better.

"Celtic are on a five-game winning run. You talk about mentality and playing your best level at the right time and Celtic have hit theirs now.

"But Hearts, for 30 weeks in a row now, are just finding ways to win, so it's going to be a very interesting finish.

"We were salivating for these post-split fixtures and they've been everything we hoped for. I don't think that's going to change."

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Celtic fans celebrate Old Firm win

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