Iheanacho – “There are times when he moves like Robocop,” Sutton

Chris Sutton is doubling down on his belief that Hearts will win the Scottish Premiership title next week as he describes tomorrow’s final Glasgow Derby of the season as a “must-win game for Celtic and Rangers” before noting that it “might not even matter when it comes to the destination of the title…”

The may be the way it turns out, but you could make the same point about most campaigns, nothing is fully decided until it’s mathematically impossible for the league leaders to be caught and over the years Hearts in 1986, Celtic in 2005 and Rangers in 2008 are examples where all three had seemingly insurmountable leads only to be piped at the post.

The chasers wouldn’t have got their noses in front at the finishing line had the towel been thrown in the closing stages. And by the time Celtic and the Rangers kick-off Motherwell could well have upset the Hearts applecart at Fir Park this evening.

A Hearts win tonight will mean the Rangers will kick-off at Celtic Park officially out to the title race but an Motherwell and Rangers double this weekend will see Rangers close the gap on Hearts to four points and Celtic to one with two games remaining.

And Sutton was part of the Celtic team in 2005 who were five points clear with two games to go and still lost the title.

So if there’s still some hope for the Rangers there’s realistically much more for Celtic who don’t necessity need favours. The current Champions need to beat the Rangers, Motherwell and Hearts well enough to overcome a current five goal disadvantage on Hearts – a 2-0 win next Saturday accounts for a four swing, so it’s entirely possible.

Hearts as leaders have the best chance but the various projections that have been done this week all state that it’s neck and neck with Hearts just ahead. Celtic though have two home games while Hearts, with a poor recent record on the road, have just one match of the three at Tynecastle.

So all three have some sort of chance, the Rangers’ might be remote, but the the other two contenders will both have realistic aspirations of celebrating the title win next Saturday afternoon.

“It’s been an incredible campaign to this stage and I believe there are a few twists and turns to come,” Sutton writes in his weekly newspaper column in Daily Record.

Sutton added: “Celtic and Rangers are similar in a lot of ways this season. Neither of them can produce 90 minute displays. It could be another game of two halves this time – and it could go either way.

“Rangers are needing snookers but they will believe they still have an outside chance. It’s only three games left and each set of could swing in their favour, at least in theory. It’s doubtful at this stage, but you never know, and they will be going all out to win at Celtic Park. Don’t forget, there is also a Champions League place up for grabs for second too.

“From Celtic’s point of view, it’s slightly ridiculous they are still in with a chance, yet they are in with a chance. There’s no wriggle room left though. We know this Celtic side is a bit of a rabble and Martin O’Neill is having to mend and make do.

“It’s going to come down to individuals again. I’ve seen plenty of people suggesting Kelechi Iheanacho has to start but there is absolutely no chance of that happening. O’Neill can’t rely on him for 90 minutes and can’t risk needing a goal in the final 30 minutes and he’s out of the game.

“Daizen Maeda has to start through the middle but that’s no bad thing for me. He’s found his mojo again and he has the ability to give Manny Fernandez and Nasser Djiga nightmares. The pair of them don’t like being turned and Maeda can pose that threat in behind.

“It’s whether he can finish. That’s the irony. Iheanacho is the best finisher at Celtic by an hour.
But he also frustrates the life out of you. His goal at Easter Road was sheer quality, and he’s the only player at Celtic who is capable of scoring that kind of goal.

“Yet there are times when he moves like Robocop. At one point Maeda got down the outside and squared but he was nowhere to be seen.”

Sutton is spot on regarding Iheanacho and Martin O’Neill doesn’t need us of his former striker to tell him what he already knows. Iheanacho will be a super sub from here on in.

The Sky Sports pundit added: “Celtic can only really play one way right now, so they won’t change. O’Neill just has to hope they can click and maybe take some of their chances. But does Rohl go with his 4-2-2-2 formation and risk losing the midfield? Does he add numbers in there and go long?

“What will the Rangers players be feeling after their bottle crashed in recent weeks? I don’t buy the suggestion the pressure is off them now because the title looks only a faint possibility.

“They will still have some hopes but will know it’s all or nothing. It really could go either way, but even if Celtic win I’m not sure they will be able to win the next two to pip Hearts at the line.

“It could even come down to goal difference and that’s where the lack of a proper striker like Shankland could really come back to haunt them.”

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