Celtic: How close are Neil Lennon's side to title & treble treble?

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Media caption,

Highlights: Celtic 2-1 Rangers

Treble-treble chasing Celtic will have to wait until after the Scottish Premiership splits into two to be crowned champions for the eighth consecutive season.

A win over Livingston on Saturday, combined with a defeat for Rangers away to Motherwell a day later, would have settled it.

But Neil Lennon's side were held to a draw and their celebration party will be delayed until at least the week of 20/21 April because next weekend they are involved in the Scottish Cup semi-finals.

Even if Rangers lose at Fir Park, Celtic will be only 14 points ahead with five rounds of games remaining.

Rangers' next fixture after that is away to Hearts, with Celtic visiting Hibernian the following day.

Which means Celtic could clinch the title at the home of the side interim manager Neil Lennon left in controversial circumstances in January.

No repeat for Lennon

Drawing at home to Livingston means Celtic missed out on clinching the title on the joint third earliest point in their eight-in-a-row stretch.

Lennon was in charge when his side won the 2011-112 crown with five games remaining.

He also guided the club to their second earliest - with seven matches to go in 2013-14, his final campaign in his first stint in charge.

Their quickest was achieved in Brendan Rodgers' first season as they wrapped up glory with eight games to spare.

Unlikely title decider at Ibrox

Image source, SNS
Image caption,

Celtic won the title last season by beating Rangers 5-0 at Celtic Park

It now seems extremely unlikely that Celtic will need to beat city rivals in order to win the title.

When arranging the post-split fixtures, the Scottish Professional Football League chose the second last fixture of the season for Lennon's side to visit Ibrox.

A year ago, they demolished their Old Firm rivals at Celtic Park to secure the title.

However, it would need Celtic to slip up further against Hibs, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen - and for Rangers to win their games with Motherwell, Hearts, Aberdeen and Hibs - for that day to matter in terms of the title.

Three games from the treble?

Celtic won the domestic treble two years running under Lennon's predecessor Rodgers, who clinched the League Cup this season before departing for Leicester City in February.

The Scottish Cup holders face beaten League Cup finalists Aberdeen in next weekend's semi-finals, with Hearts taking on Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the other last-four tie.

Celtic have not lost a domestic cup tie since 2016 - a record Lennon will be eager to preserve.

Image source, Clive Lindsay

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