Celtic

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Will away form decide who wins the Scottish Premiership title?

Five points currently separate Hearts at the top of the table and Celtic in third place while Rangers are two ahead of their Glasgow rivals and three behind the leaders.

There's just seven games left to crown this season's champion and it's looking like the split is going to be decisive, but just how much will away fixtures affect where the trophy ends up?

Both Rangers and Hearts have played 15 away games so far, Celtic have played one extra.

In terms of victories, Celtic and Hearts have won eight away games while Rangers have won seven. In contrast, Hearts have won 12 of their home games, Rangers have 10 home victories and Celtic are on 11.

Hearts have scored 24 goals away from home and 29 at Tynecastle. Rangers have also scored 24 goals at away games but have 32 at Ibrox while Celtic have scored 23 goals away from home and 33 at home.

Interestingly, both Hearts and Celtic have lost five away games each while Rangers have only lost one game away from Ibrox. However they've drawn seven while Hearts and Celtic have drawn two and three respectively.

And Hearts fan Liam Corbett of This is My Story podcast suggests whichever team sorts out their away form will be the one to lift the trophy in May.

"I think it's the away form that will win the title," he told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Rangers haven't been great away from home and we've lost four of our last six away from home. Now we're at Livingston on Sunday then it'll be Hibs, Celtic and Motherwell away in the split.

"I think it comes down to whoever can master their away form. We're all pretty decent at home, maybe barring Celtic a little bit in terms of losses. We're unbeaten at home all season.

"Hearts have been churning out these 1-0 victories that maybe, if you're from the outside, looking in, look wobbly but they've been the most assured 1-0 victories you can get. But they only last so long.

"So whoever can master their away form will be the ones that get the best chance of bringing home the title."

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Can Martin O'Neill trust the Celtic players to step up in the Scottish Premiership title race.

Following their second loss at Tannadice this season just before the international break, O'Neil's side now need to make up a five point deficit to be in with a chance of securing their 56th Scottish Premiership title.

The Parkhead club have won 11 of the last 12 league titles but face a tough test if they want to pick up their fifth top flight win in a row.

The departure of key players - including the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kuhn - as well as manager Brendan Rodgers' resignation and the abysmal tenure of Wilfried Nancy have all contributed to Celtic's woes this term.

And Paul John Dykes of the Celtic State of Mind Podcast blames recruitment for their surprising drop off this season.

"You should be able to dip into a squad where you've got enough quality," he told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"But if you haven't been doing the business in the transfer windows for a number of seasons, then you don't have that quality.

"I think we've been stripped of quality.

"You look at the fact that we lost players like Nicolas Kuhn and even Adam Idah this season. They've not been sufficiently replaced."

Chasing a sixth Premiership victory in a row, Celtic and their supporters are no strangers to the pressures of a title race.

Dykes is hopeful that Hearts and Rangers' inexperience will see them falter, but lacks the confidence to fully believe his side will win the title.

"Rangers are currently the form team," he added.

"Hearts have been the most consistent team over the season and Celtic have been all over the place. Somehow, Martin O'Neill managed to get some kind of rhythm and fluidity to the team and a bit of belief and some unity.

"But even that has been doubted and questioned over the last couple of weeks.

"Will any of the three sides win the last seven? If you're looking at this season, Celtic, the most consistent we've been is five league games on the bounce. Hearts are six, Rangers are six. So I don't think any of the three teams will win all seven.

"It's just a case of playing players at the moment that you can trust. There's a lot of players in our squad that we simply cannot trust."

Dundee manager Steven Pressley is wary of a Celtic backlash when the sides meet at Dens Park on Sunday, with the defending Scottish Premiership champions having lost their last fixture at Dundee United. (Record - subscription required), external

Wednesday's Scottish gossip

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Celtic midfielder Odin Thiago Holm has joined Norwegian side Valerenga on loan until the end of December.

The 23-year-old joined Celtic from the Norwegian side back in 2023 but has struggled to make an impact in Glasgow.

Holm spent the entirety of 2025 on loan in America with LAFC and returned to Glasgow at the end of December but hasn't featured for Celtic since August 2024. Even then he featured in three games for a total of 24 minutes.

Tino
Fan writer

As the Scottish Premiership returns this weekend with a trip to Dundee at Dens Park, one question looms large for Celtic supporters - who will be available for the run-in?

We already know long-term absentees Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers will play no part in the remaining fixtures. Both have been sorely missed - albeit in very different ways.

Carter-Vickers has been the cornerstone of Celtic's defence since arriving in the summer of 2021. His absence has left a void that's been impossible to fill consistently, with a revolving cast of replacements unable to replicate his authority and stability.

Jota, meanwhile, is the spark Celtic have lacked in the final third. Whether through goals, assists or moments of pure invention, his ability to change any given game at any given moment has been badly missed.

Having turned 27 just this week, there remains real hope that his best days in a Celtic shirt still lie ahead as he continues to work his way back from an ACL injury.

In the shorter term, however, there is cause for optimism in terms of others returning.

The trio of Arne Engels, Alistair Johnston and Callum Osmand have all been pencilled in for a potential April return. And, if, and when they're declared fit, each could make an immediate and meaningful impact on Celtic's title charge.

Engels would bring much-needed athleticism and physicality to the midfield, along with a genuine threat from set pieces - something Celtic have lacked.

Johnston's return would restore not just quality at right-back but also leadership, aggression and personality - traits that have been missing across the side in recent months.

Osmand, though, is perhaps the most intriguing case.

With just three appearances to his name (a question for Brendan Rodgers?) he remains more promise than finished product. Yet those who witnessed his match-winning display against Rangers in November's League Cup semi-final at Hampden will know he has the temperament and ability to influence big games.

With neither Tomas Cvancara, Junior Adamu nor Kelechi Iheanacho cementing themselves as our go-to striker, the opportunity is there. Osmand could yet emerge as a decisive figure in the closing weeks of the season.

It's been a turbulent campaign and Celtic need every available boost to secure what would be a fifth consecutive title.

The return of Engels, Johnston and Osmand might just provide it.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange, external

Celtic midfielder Odin Thiago Holm, 23, will re-join former club Valerenga on loan until the end of the Norwegian season in November. (TV2 via Sun, external)

Martin O'Neill believes Celtic are "far from out of" the Scottish Premiership title race. (Sun), external

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

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Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers will play no part in the remainder of Celtic's season, interim manager Martin O'Neill has confirmed.

Winger Jota has not featured since the Parkhead side's Scottish Premiership title-clinching win at Dundee United in April last term.

Centre-back Carter-Vickers has been out of action with an Achilles injury since Celtic's Europa League win over Sturm Graz in October.

Former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers said at the time that the United States defender could be out for "anywhere between three and five months", but he will not play again this campaign.

Reports also suggest that on-loan Bournemouth right-back Julian Araujo could be facing up to eight weeks out.

O'Neill did, however, have positive news on striker Callum Osmand, who has been sidelined since Celtic's European defeat at Midtjylland in November.

"Jota and Carter-Vickers will not be available to us until next season," O'Neill told Celtic TV.

"Callum [Osmand] is doing really well. He's anxious to go and is working exceptionally well. Hopefully that won't be too far away."

O'Neill's side return to action after the international break when they travel to Dundee on Sunday (16:30 GMT).

Celtic's last outing also took place in Dundee, where they were beaten 2-0 by Dundee United at Tannadice.

With O'Neill's men sitting third in the table and five points behind leaders Hearts, the Celtic boss is hoping for a response against a challenging opponent.

"[Dundee] played exceptionally well against us in the [Scottish Cup]," he added. "They played very well and in a lot of subsequent games they've been well and truly in the picture.

"Whatever way they approach the game, you can't do anything about that. It's about how we approach it as much as anything else. We have to be as strong as them."

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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With reports suggesting Julian Araujo has been ruled out for up to eight weeks with a thigh injury, Celtic fans are fearing their season could unravel.

Martin O'Neill's side currently sit third in the Scottish Premiership after a defeat at Dundee United, with Rangers two points ahead and leaders Hearts five points clear.

News of the severity of the injury to Araujo, who has not played since the recent Scottish Cup win at Ibrox, has served as another blow during the international break.

With Alistair Johnston still working his way back to fitness after five months out, how damaging could Araujo's absence be?

Anthony Ralston or Colby Donovan would be tasked with filling the void until Johnston is ready, the latter having started in Celtic's past two games.

So how does Araujo compare to Ralston and Donovan?

Because of the difference in minutes played between the trio, we have crunched the numbers on a per-90-minute basis.

On the ball, Araujo shoots twice as often as both Ralston and Donovan. The Mexican also averages more dribbles and touches in the opposition box.

The on-loan Bournemouth man also averages far more passes in the final third, which helps explain why he creates more chances.

Donovan crosses far more frequently, however, and creates roughly the same number of open-play opportunities as Araujo.

But what about the defensive side?

Donovan wins more duels and aerial duels, and he has a far better tackle success rate.

Those impressive defensive numbers from the 19-year-old have helped Celtic concede fewer goals on average when he has played compared with when Araujo or Ralston have featured.

Japan forward Daizen Maeda, who came close to joining Wolfsburg from Celtic last summer, refused to talk about his future with the Scottish champions after the 28-year-old captained his country to a 1-0 win over Scotland. (Daily Record), external

Celtic loan right-back Julian Araujo has been ruled out for seven to eight weeks by injury and the 24-year-old Mexico international has returned to parent club Bournemouth for treatment to a thigh issue after missing the recent Scottish Premiership games against Motherwell and Dundee United. (The Herald), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Celtic winger Sebastian Tounekti spoiled Haiti's preparations for their World Cup opener with Scotland by scoring Tunisia's winning goal in their friendly in Toronto.

Tounekti slotted the only goal of the game past goalkeeper Alexandre Pierre from the edge of the penalty box after a fine, defence-splitting pass from Ismaël Gharbi, the midfielder on loan to Augsburg from Braga, after only seven minutes.

The 23-year-old Celtic winger had a chance to add to his first-ever goal for his country seven minutes later but fired over from 15 yards.

Philadelphia Union midfielder Danley Jean Jacques had Haiti's best chance shortly after, but his effort from close range was blocked at the near post by goalkeeper Sabri Ben Hessen.

Sayfallah Ltaief was denied by a near-post block from Haiti's Pierre after the break, while fellow forward substitute Hazem Nazon prodded over when through on goal.

However, Tunisia had to survive intense late pressure before Haiti's frustration was exacerbated when Jean Jacques was sent off for a second yellow card three minutes into stoppage time.

It was only Haiti's second defeat in seven outings.

Sebastien Migne's side next warm-up friendly is against Iceland, again at BMO Field in Toronto, on Tuesday, with Tunisia continuing their World Cup preparations against hosts Canada at the same venue the following day.

Celtic and Rangers, who were interested in Tyrese Campbell in 2020 as he was leaving Stoke City, enquired about the 26-year-old's availability in January and continue to keep tabs on the striker who is poised to enter the final year of his contract with Sheffield United. (Daily Record), external

Fares Ghedjemis remains on Celtic's radar, but they found Frosinone's demands too pricey in January and would still be required to pay a sizeable fee this summer despite the 23-year-old Algerian winger's agent suggesting he could leave the Serie B club. (Football Insider), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston says the most difficult part of adapting to life in Glasgow was coming to terms with being an A-list celebrity.

The 27-year-old Canada international joined the club in January 2023 from CF Montreal and has become a key member of the squad.

Having spent the entirety of his playing career in the US and Canada before his switch to Glasgow, Johnston says football wasn't the most difficult change.

"The people are great," he told TSN Sports.

"They love you. They are unbelievably abrasive as well. They see you in the street, they'll run across and give you a piece of their mind whether it's good, bad or indifferent.

"For me the football wasn't the biggest change. Playing in front of 60,000 people at Celtic park opens your eyes to how much football means but it was the off the pitch stuff.

"All of a sudden you can't just go for a walk. I was playing in Montreal the year before I went there [Celtic], playing for the national team, going to a World Cup but I could walk through the streets of Montreal with no issue. There'd be a billboard of me and the team and I could walk right by it and no one would bat an eye.

"In Glasgow you could have a hat on, sunglasses and people are still running up and grabbing you. It's a fishbowl. You are the A-list celebrity."

Celtic icon Shunsuke Nakamura is back in Glasgow for Japan's World Cup warm-up friendly with Scotland.

The 47-year-old former midfielder, who is working with Japanese TV for Saturday's game, clearly remains a popular figure and signed autographs outside Lesser Hampden on Friday.

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Steve Clarke would bring "wins and stability" to Celtic, says BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English, but would his "face fit"?

The Glasgow giants are on the hunt for a permanent manager this summer with former boss Martin O'Neill in charge of the side until the end of the season.

Clarke is due to depart the Scotland job after the World Cup, with no new contract offer currently on the table from the Scottish FA.

"One of the things that I have learned over my many years is never to second guess anything in Scottish football, especially this season," English told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Could it happen? Yes, it could. Would Celtic fans want it to happen? I don't want speak for them but certainly some of the Celtic fans I know have articulated the views that they wouldn't want to see Steve Clarke come in.

"They'd want to see somebody maybe a bit younger, a bit more European, in terms of their style of football, a bit more flamboyant. I'm not sure that that's necessarily what Celtic needs right now.

"What Celtic need is a lot of wins and a lot of stability. I think Clarke would give them that, but I'm not sure his face would fit there."

Celtic-linked Craig Bellamy has hinted he intends to stay on as Wales boss following their World Cup play-off exit. (Scottish Sun, external)

Pat Nevin believes there's a 'heartless' reason Scotland captain Andy Robertson won't get a dream move to Celtic this summer. (Liverpool Echo, external)

Frank McAvennie insists Celtic will need to heavily back their new manager in the transfer market. (Glasgow World, external)

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Celtic have been fined £13,000 by Uefa for fans throwing balls on to the pitch during the Europa League tie at home to Stuttgart last month.

The disruption shortly after kick-off caused a delay of more than three minutes in the knockout play-off first leg, which Celtic lost 4-1 before exiting the tournament 4-2 on aggregate.

It was the latest in a sequence of protests from Celtic fans this season against the club's board.

Interim manager Martin O'Neill criticised the first-leg disruption post match, saying: "Anyone who thinks that is a good idea needs their head examined."

Meanwhile, Stuttgart have been fined £19,500 by Uefa for "transmitting a message that is not fit for a sports event" during the second leg.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

As hopeless as Celtic were at Dundee United - and they really were - Martin O'Neill's robust rhetoric afterwards wasn't simply a show of defiance for its own sake.

He's adamant his side is still right in the race. With the home straight in sight, however, the Hoops are struggling to stay with the pace.

If it is to remain a three-way battle, O'Neill has been round the block enough times to know he simply can't afford to slip any further behind.

The next two games at Dundee and at home to St Mirren can be filed in the 'must-win' category. Should six points be gathered, O'Neill's bullishness could yet be well founded.

He wouldn't be one to throw in the towel at the best of times. The veteran manager, having lost league crowns in his first stint over 20 years ago by a single point in 2005 and a single goal in 2003, is acutely aware May madness will again decide the destination of Scottish football's top prize.

It's just that this season's mayhem, for the first time in decades, involves three teams.

As much as Tannadice could prove a sandy grave for Celtic's hopes if they don't improve markedly in response, O'Neill will know that if he can somehow stay within striking distance of the top two, they both have to come to Celtic Park in the final five fixtures.

Celtic are due to play three of their last five games at home. Leaders Hearts and second-place Rangers only have two on their own grounds, and three away.

With no clear 'form' team or runaway favourite, home advantage could be crucial when the tension ramps up further.

At the forefront of O'Neill's thoughts will be where to find the goals required to keep his side in contention. Kelechi Iheanacho, Daizen Maeda and Junior Adamu have all struggled.

Czech striker Tomas Cvancara has played 11 times since his loan move and netted only twice, although he has chipped in with a couple of important assists.

Given midfielder Benjamin Nygren is by a distance the club's top scorer and main goal threat, is there an argument to say he should be deployed as a false nine further forward?

The imminent return of Canada right-back Alastair Johnston will also come as a timely boost for the Celtic manager. Shoring up a defence that has shipped 34 Premiership goals, in a team that has already lost eight league games, is a key priority.

O'Neill has only lost two top-flight matches in his two interim spells. If he's to drag his side over the line, he knows losing another is no longer an option.

Celtic forward Daizen Maeda has been training with Japan at The Rock stadium in Dumbarton in preparation for his national side's friendly against Scotland.

Maeda could come up against a couple of clubmates - Kieran Tierney and Anthony Ralston - in Saturday evening's World Cup warm-up game at Hampden.

There is no place in the Japan squad for Reo Hatate, who has struggled for form this season, but Maeda is set for his 27th cap and will look to add to his four international goals.

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Bournemouth are happy to sell Julian Araujo, the 24-year-old right-back on loan to Celtic, this summer. (Football Insider), external

Fares Ghedjemis' agent says Frosinone could be prepared to sell the 23-year-old forward, who was pursued by Celtic in January, this summer despite planning to take up an option to extend his contract (TuttoMercatoWeb via Daily Record), external

Wolves are well-placed to beat Celtic and Rangers to the signing of 21-year-old Hacken midfielder Silas Andersen this summer. (Football Insider), external

Ferencvaros chief executive Pal Orosz has said head coach Robbie Keane, who has been linked with Celtic, would go with the club's blessing - if he got the Tottenham Hotspur job. (The National), external

Ferencvaros head coach Robbie Keane has been installed as the new favourite to be the Celtic manager ahead of Motherwell's Jens Berthel Askou by a leading UK bookmaker. (Football Insider), external

Former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou says that, after shortlived spells with Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest, he will only accept a managerial role if it allows him to come on board at the start of pre-season. (Glasgow Times), external

Japan forward Daizen Maeda admits he cannot wait to face his Celtic teammates at Hampden this week on international duty against Scotland. (The National), external

Plans have been unveiled for a statue of Celtic legend Jim Craig in the Govan area of Glasgow. (Glasgow Times), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

Thirteen months have now passed since Celtic had their hearts broken in Munich - a gut-wrenching Champions League night, but one that was hoped to be the launchpad for an ambitious new era.

Little over a year later, the unthinkable prospect of the Parkhead club finishing third in their own domestic league is becoming more realistic with each week.

Poor recruitment on the pitch and in the dugout from an under-fire board has been the well-documented source of fury for a disgruntled fanbase.

But what do the numbers tell us about this galling 13-month decline?

Since exiting the Champions League to Bayern, Celtic have won just 54% of their matches over 90 minutes, suffering 16 defeats under Brendan Rodgers, Martin O'Neill and Wilfried Nancy.

Eight of those losses have come in the Scottish Premiership this season alone - more than in the past two campaigns put together and the first time since 1999-00 they have lost as many games in a league season.

In the failed bid to win a historic 10th successive title in 2020-21, Celtic lost five league matches. This term, they have lost more than Hearts and Rangers combined, three more than Motherwell and one more than Hibernian.

They would need to score 56 times in their final seven league fixtures to match last season's 112-goal tally. They are also 17 points worse off than they were after 31 matches and have shipped 14 more goals.

Yet, remarkably, they are still in with a shot at the title. Captain Callum McGregor says they need to win "at least five or six" of their final seven. Former striker Chris Sutton says they need to win them all. On current evidence, that seems unrealistic.

With games running out, the sobering thought for a club that posted cash reserves of almost £70m in December is that they could be closer to fourth than first by the time they next kick a ball.