Kris Boyd backs Celtic to edge title race with Motherwell
kris boyd says Celtic will win the league if they get through Wednesday night at Motherwell without losing. The gap at the top is down to one point, and Hearts still have a route back in if Celtic slip in North Lanarkshire.
Celtic at Fir Park
Boyd's read of the race is blunt: Celtic do not need to win at Fir Park, but they cannot afford a defeat. He said, "Wednesday night is huge, if Celtic can get through that and don’t lose, I don’t expect anything else except a Celtic victory on Saturday."
He added, "If Celtic do not lose the game at Fir Park on Wednesday, I think they will win the game on Saturday." That leaves Wednesday as the match that can tilt the title picture immediately, with Celtic due at Motherwell before attention shifts to their weekend game.
Hearts and the one-point gap
Celtic's Old Firm win over Rangers and Hearts' draw at Fir Park cut the gap at the top to one point. That is the margin Boyd is working from, and it is why he sees the table as still live for both clubs.
A Celtic loss in North Lanarkshire would open the door for Hearts if they beat Falkirk at Tynecastle. Boyd also pointed to the condition of the Hearts squad, saying, "Craig Halkett’s been outstanding all season, Marc Leonard, since he came in, has been really good as well, two key components in that Hearts team that have got them to this stage."
Martin O'Neill's selection call
Boyd said Celtic's squad picture has also shaped how Martin O'Neill is handling the run-in. "Benjamin Nygren is the only one yesterday who hasn’t laid his hands on a league title, and that matters," he said, before adding, "That’s something Martin has obviously looked at."
He finished by saying, "I think what Martin has done has been very clever because he’s just cut everyone else out, and it's just been ‘I’m focusing on a team that knows how to win, that knows how to get the job done." For Celtic, the immediate task is simple enough: avoid defeat at Motherwell, and Boyd expects the title race to swing their way.
