IN A SEASON OF TWO FACES, CELTIC WILL WIN THE LEAGUE
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Tonight, Celtic will take on Livingston at Celtic Park in a game that will be as important, as, erm, the last league game we played.
With Hearts being outplayed, yet still managing to find a win against Hibs last night, it’s clear that Celtic will need to win this league the old-fashioned way: by beating the teams above us.
The cliché of “every game is a cup final” has been trotted out numerous times over the last few weeks. However, it is fairly accurate in this case. If Celtic win every league game between now and the end of March, I fully believe that will be enough to put us top of the league. Despite a season littered with horror results, the fact remains that Martin O’Neill has yet to lose a domestic game as Celtic manager.
It Won’t be Easy but Celtic will Win the League
A lot can change in football in a relatively short frame of time. Celtic have proven that several times over this season already.
I think it would be fair to say, in the immediate aftermath of our 3-1 loss to Rangers at the start of the year, that I took quite a lot of flack for what I said on ACSOM’s post-match show that day.
I said: “So long as Wilfred Nancy goes in the next 7 days, Celtic will win the League.”
My comrades on ACSOM did their best to try and make me see sense, but I wasn’t for backing down. I saw us lose to a very efficient, but also extremely mediocre Rangers team. Even with Wilfred Nancy’s hopeless flailing in the dugout, masquerading as management, we still went into that game at half-time in the lead. Dare I say, had Martin O’Neill been calling the shots that day, I doubt the second half capitulation we ultimately saw would have happened.
With proper leadership, we should have beaten Rangers that day. But for the corruption of our referees, I think we would have beaten Hearts later that month too.
So, there is no denying that we are capable of beating those above us. Hearts pretty much highlight the two-faced, almost schizophrenic nature of Celtic this season. We’ve taken one point from a possible nine against them in the league so far this season.
But then look at the flip-side. Hearts have yet to beat a Celtic team managed by Martin O’Neill. The same goes for Rangers. The one time, so far, they faced a Martin O’Neill led Celtic this season, we beat them, albeit after extra time.
Celtic have lost 6 games this season and drawn 3 in the league. Yet, under Martin O’Neill, we’ve only failed to win one match, the aforementioned draw at Tynecastle where we should have beaten Hearts, but for the intervention of the MIB.
We can’t afford to lose any more matches. But I also believe both our title rivals will drop points before we play them again.
Ultimately, I think it will come down to us and Rangers, but we cannot discount Hearts completely. They are, at least for now, at the top of the league on merit.
Here’s a simple fact. With our challengers playing each other at the weekend, something has to give. As long as Celtic win tonight and again at the weekend, we will, absolutely, close the gap on either Rangers, Hearts, or possibly both.
I will say it again one more time, and lurkers please feel free to bookmark this. Celtic will win the league!