Kenny Dalglish submits verdict on Hearts title chances as Scotland icon hands Jambos lofty mantle
Celtic and Scotland legend delivers Premiership title race stance as he refuses to rule out last-day drama
Kenny Dalglish knows all about the pressure that comes with winning titles - and the Scottish football legend insists “it’s Hearts’ to lose” this season as he waded in to the engrossing fight to be crowned Premiership champions.
The Jambos have maintained their lead at the summit and currently sit five points clear of the defending champions after Celtic clinched a midweek win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie. That saw them leapfrog Rangers with nine games remaining.
Derek McInnes’ side are bidding to end the Old Firm’s 41-year stranglehold on the trophy and become top-flight champions for the first time since 1960.
While it remains to be seen if the Gorgie outfit can hold their nerve during the run-in and complete the biggest title upset of the modern era, Scotland and Celtic legend Dalglish is relishing the drama. He refused to rule out any team in the chasing pack from getting their hands on the title, including fourth-placed Motherwell.
“Everything's possible at the moment,” Dalglish said when quizzed on how the Premiership title race has opened up. “What position would you want to be in? It's Hearts’ title to lose at the moment. It’s all about capitalising on what you've got.
“I mean, Motherwell have been dismissed almost as being non-existent, aren't they? And they're repeatedly playing the best football in Scotland, so I don't know (what direction the title will go).
“I just think it's happened too often in the past where it’s usually two clubs in great competition between each other. We’ve got four teams in it this season. So the more teams that are in contention, the better the product and the more exciting it is.”
Kenny Dalglish rates Hearts Premiership title chances
Asked if he believes the chasing pack have left themselves with too much ground to make up on Derek McInnes’ side with nine games remaining, Dalglish responded: “Well, all you can say is Hearts have done fantastically well, they've run away from everybody.
“In the games they've played against the Old Firm, they've done well. The results have been positive, so you can't say they haven’t helped themselves to the title, if they were to win it.
“But I think it's great the competition that's in there, for the likes of Hearts and Motherwell to be able to push the Old Firm.”
Dalglish: Old Firm Scottish Cup quarter-final will have little baring on title race
Dalglish will be keeping a watchful eye on the Scottish Cup quarter-final tie between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox - but Scotland’s all-time record appearance holder doesn’t believe the outcome of Sunday’s fixture be a catalyst for the winner to embark on a winning run and potentially clinch the league title in dramatic fashion.
“If you can predict and Old Firm game, you’ve done well, better than the weather,” Dalglish stated with a wry smile. “You wouldn’t have predicted the past two games going the way they did. After about half an hour at Ibrox last week, you wouldn’t have predicted that score line.
“I think both clubs have come on a good bit since going through a little mid-season crisis. It’s always a special occasion, a big game. I don’t know if you could choose between one team at the moment, but somebody’s got to win and it might go as far as penalties.
“For the first half last Sunday, you would’ve said no (the two teams aren’t evenly matched) and you would’ve said the same thing in the second half. Everyone thought Rangers were going to run away with it and then Celtic came back into it. So, no I don’t think it’ll have a baring on the league.”
*Kenny Dalglish was promoting Premier Sports’ live and exclusive coverage of Rangers v Celtic on Sunday from 12pm on Premier Sports 1. Watch Premier Sports via your TV provider on Sky, Virgin TV, STV Player and Amazon Prime as an add-on subscription, and on the Premier Sports’ Player.