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Scottish Premiership: Hearts, Celtic face away trips live on Sky Sports after Rangers go top with Dundee United win

  /  autty

Ready for the next instalment of the gripping drama that is the Scottish Premiership title race?

It is back to domestic matters after the international break, with not one but two games live on Sky Sports.

Hearts have lost their lead at the top of the table to Rangers, while perpetual winners Celtic remain playing catch-up.

The title race aside, there is still the final top-six place to be decided as other sides fight for their Premiership survival.

A change at the top?

There is a double-header live on Sky Sports on Sunday with Hearts away to bottom-of-the-table Livingston before Celtic face Dundee at Dens Park.

Derek McInnes' Hearts side had been top of the table every day since September 27 but Rangers, written off by many just a couple of months ago, have taken top spot ahead of Sunday's game in West Lothian.

You would expect Hearts to take care of struggling Livi, although this season has taught us to expect the unexpected.

Marvin Bartley's side have not won any of their last 29 league games, but they have drawn four of their last five games and took a point against Rangers last month.

Add to that the fact that Hearts have faltered a little of late, losing two of their last five games.

Tayside has not been the Hoops' happy place this season, but Celtic will have to improve that record if they are to avoid losing further ground in the title race before the split.

They travel to Dundee on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, looking to avoid back-to-back defeats at Dens Park to remain in the title chase.

Celtic are winless in the 'City of Discovery' this season - also losing to United in December - and they could be eight points behind Hearts and five points behind Rangers when they kick off for their latest visit.

Martin O'Neill will be hoping to have some Celtic players back from injury to avoid what could be a fatal blow to their hopes of retaining the title.

Race for the top six and Europe

Falkirk secured a top-six spot with a 3-2 win at Motherwell on Saturday, coupled with Dundee United's defeat at Ibrox.

The Bairns have impressed on their top-flight return and could still secure European football for next season in the final weeks of the season.

Motherwell had been chasing the top three but have dropped off after taking just one point from their last four games.

While title talk is over, Jens Berthel Askou's side will be confident of a European place with Hibs also still very much in contention.

Battle for survival

Livingston are already 12 points adrift at the bottom with their hopes of a second season back in the Premiership fading fast.

While they are all but down, there is still that play-off place to try and avoid.

St Mirren moved three points clear of 11th-placed Kilmarnock with a 2-0 win over Aberdeen on Saturday, taking full advantage of defeats for every other team who played in the bottom half of the Scottish Premiership.

The only side that didn't, Dundee, can move five points clear of safety if they can upset the odds against Celtic in Sunday's televised game.