Hearts can clinch third, Mr Clean Sheet & Livi on brink

The Old Firm stranglehold connected this season's silverware has been confirmed by past weekend's Scottish Cup semi-finals and now it's backmost to nan Premiership's two-horse title for nan title.

But, while reigning champions Celtic are chasing a double and League Cup winners Rangers a treble, location is plentifulness to beryllium settled little down nan apical flight.

Heart of Midlothian could clinch 3rd spot, hosts Kilmarnock could unafraid European football, while Livingston could beryllium officially relegated arsenic we move into nan first of nan 5 remaining fixtures aft nan split.

Here's immoderate of what to look retired for...

Hearts must put nan disappointment of their conclusion by Rangers astatine Hampden down them if they are to extremity in-form Kilmarnock's lingering hopes of denying them a third-place decorativeness that has for truthful agelong seemed inevitable.

Kilmarnock won nan corresponding fixture 2-1 a twelvemonth ago, but since then, they person grounded to triumph immoderate of their 4 meetings, drafting some visits to Tynecastle.

Steven Naismith's broadside person travel retired apical doubly already astatine Rugby Park - erstwhile successful nan League Cup and erstwhile successful nan Premiership.

Another triumph successful Ayrshire would unafraid 3rd spot and besides lucifer their champion points full since 2016.

Kilmarnock, though, are unbeaten successful 4 games, are seeking to triumph 3 consecutive Premiership matches for nan first clip since October 2020 and person only mislaid erstwhile - to Rangers - successful their latest 11 location games.

They could besides suffice for European title for nan first clip successful 4 years depending connected their ain consequence and St Mirren's connected Sunday.

Who comes retired connected apical could person overmuch to do pinch who wins nan head-to-head conflict betwixt Lawrence Shankland and a Killie defence seeking a 3rd successive blank.

The Scotland striker has recovered nan nett 21 times and assisted successful 4 others successful nan Premiership this season, which intends he has been progressive successful 54.3% of Hearts' convention goals.

The 28-year-old is nan only subordinate to beryllium straight progressive successful astatine slightest half of his side's goals successful nan section during this campaign.

Talking of cleanable sheets, Jack Butland has had a tidy fewer for Rangers.

The 30-year-old has had 18 successful nan Premiership unsocial - including 3 successful their 3 consecutive wins complete Sunday's hosts, St Mirren, this word - which is astatine slightest 4 much than immoderate different changeable stopper.

It is nan astir by a Rangers goalkeeper successful nan top-flight since Allan McGregor successful nan 2010-11 play and has brought nan Englishman to nan attraction of nationalist head Gareth Southgate.

One much would return him past nan erstwhile Scotland number 1 this would beryllium nan perfect clip to do truthful arsenic Rangers sojourn nan fifth-top Buddies looking to spell level connected points pinch Celtic earlier nan leaders kick-off distant to Dundee later successful nan afternoon.

After Rangers dropped points astatine Dens Park, their temper was improved somewhat by nan Scottish Cup conclusion of Hearts - their latest crippled without conceding.

However, pursuing a tally of only 3 victories successful 9 outings successful each competitions, Rangers find themselves playing catch-up. They request Celtic to gaffe up and cannot spend immoderate much of their own.

A 3rd cleanable expanse successful a statement for Butland would thief put nan unit backmost connected nan champions, moreover if caller history suggests a regular triumph considering Dundee person not beaten Celtic successful 42 meetings and person mislaid nan latest nine, including 3 this play by an aggregate of 11-1.

Like nan Old Firm's inevitable power astatine nan apical and Hearts' grip connected 3rd place, Livingston person agelong since seemed destined for nan drop.

Time will yet tally retired for David Martindale's broadside connected Saturday if they autumn to a 4th consecutive location defeat.

As nan visitors are second-bottom Ross County, who themselves person not won distant from location successful 15 games since September, a triumph would trim nan spread to 9 points.

However, moreover that would look an insurmountable upland to climb successful nan last 4 games considering Livingston person not won successful 8 outings, losing six of them, while County person only mislaid 3 of their latest eight.

If it was anyone other but Martindale, location would beryllium awesome mobility marks astir nan manager's future.

There person been nary hints that Livingston's caller owners are contemplating an extremity to nan 49-year-old's 10-year relation pinch nan club, aliases his adjacent 4 years successful complaint of nan first team.

Martindale, who had agelong warned that nan West Lothian club's expertise to punch supra their financial weight had a support life, revealed this week that he had fixed his players a intelligence wellness break from nan "psychological" strain of battling relegation.

It nary uncertainty besides gave him clip to ponder what he views arsenic a "reset" and "major overhaul" of his squad sloppy of which section they find themselves successful adjacent season.

With 14 aliases 15 players destined to exit successful nan summer, Martindale will already beryllium readying for life without them - and successful nan Championship for nan first clip successful six years.