Title Deciders, Interims, and Champions League Winners: SPFL Breakdown Round 27

Another crucial weekend of Scottish Premiership football awaits. Ahead of the latest round, these are the main things to keep note of. Game of the Round – Rangers v Hearts Sunday’s showdown between the top two is set to have massive implications as the title race enters the home stretch. With Hearts currently holding a five-point lead over Rangers, a victory would stretch that gap to eight, marking only their second win at Ibrox since 2014. Derek McInnes’ side has occupied the top spot for nearly 20 weeks, and after Tomas Magnusson’s late Edinburgh Derby winner sparked further delirium in Gorgie, the Jambos continue to defy the odds. While Ibrox remains a daunting task for any visitor, a perfect record of five wins from five against the Old Firm this season means McInnes’ men will head west with the bit between their teeth. In the opposite dugout, Danny Rohl has significantly raised expectations since inheriting a Rangers side that trailed the leaders by 13 points. However, after hauling themselves back into contention with a nine-match unbeaten run, disjointed performances at Fir Park and Easter Road have left the Ibrox faithful questioning their title credentials. Rohl has conceded that Sunday’s meeting is “massive,” a result that could make or break their domestic season. For McInnes, the goal is simple, deliver a heavyweight blow that could finally knock Rangers out of the title race for good. Team Spotlight: Aberdeen Aberdeen have now spent 40 days in managerial limbo following Jimmy Thelin’s dismissal. With former assistant Tony Docherty arriving to bolster Peter Leven’s backroom staff, the Dons appear content to wait until the summer before confirming a permanent appointment. However, that patience is being tested on the pitch. Following consecutive postponements against Motherwell and Dundee United, Leven’s side has had a long two weeks to stew on their dismal 3-0 defeat at Rugby Park. Those cancellations, combined with Falkirk’s flying form, have left Aberdeen drifting, now 11 points adrift of the coveted top six. While Sunday’s trip to Fir Park looks daunting, time is rapidly running out to salvage their season. Before they resume their Scottish Cup defence next week, the question is, can Leven and Docherty galvanise this struggling squad and spark a late-season revival? Player to Watch: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain As Celtic toiled toward a disappointing draw against Livingston on Wednesday, Martin O’Neill scanned his bench for a spark of quality. He found it in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the former Champions League winner appeared to be the perfect option to break the deadlock. With Rangers leading against Motherwell, Celtic’s grip on the top two looked fragile. However, the former Liverpool and Arsenal midfielder wasted little time etching his name into Parkhead folklore. Picking up the ball on the edge of the area, he opened his body and whipped a devastating low strike past a rooted Jerome Prior, securing a vital three points and instant hero status. In such a tight title race, January reinforcements were always going to be the deciding factor for the frontrunners. While he may still be chasing match fitness and sharpness, Oxlade-Chamberlain could provide the catalyst Celtic need as they chase a fifth consecutive trophy. Next up, the champions face a revitalised Kilmarnock side. Having recently laboured to a narrow victory over Auchinleck Talbot on that same pitch, Celtic can expect a testing encounter. Whether starting or offering experience off the bench, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s ability to produce moments of individual brilliance could be the key cog that keeps this title challenge on track.