The Scottish Premiership title race took another dramatic turn over the weekend as both Celtic and Rangers dropped points, allowing Hearts and Motherwell to capitalise on their missteps. In a title race which has captivated fans and sent users surging to betting sites in the UK, this may have been the most dramatic weekend yet.
This unexpected twist has added a new layer of excitement to the season, with the possibility of a shake-up in the traditional top two now a real prospect.
Rangers were held to a 2-2 draw by bottom club Livingston, while defending champions Celtic suffered a home defeat to Hibernian.
Hearts, who had secured a narrow win over Falkirk a day earlier, now lead Rangers by four points and Celtic by six, with Celtic having a game in hand.
Hearts boss Derek McInnes must have been watching the weekend's events unfold with a sense of satisfaction.
Motherwell, currently in fourth place, were among the big winners of the weekend, delivering a 5-0 thrashing to St Mirren. Jens Berthel Askou's side now trails Hearts by 10 points but has a game in hand. They have only conceded three goals in their past 15 matches and lost once in 19, showcasing the most expansive football in the top flight.
Stewart highlighted the pressure applied by these wins, suggesting that it's not beyond the realms of possibility for Motherwell to finish above Celtic or Rangers, or even both.
The upcoming weekend follows a similar pattern, with Hearts and Motherwell playing at home on Saturday against Aberdeen and Dundee United respectively, before Rangers host Celtic in the derby on Sunday.
Motherwell could potentially be just one point behind Celtic by then, while Hearts could be seven clear of Rangers and nine above Celtic.
Celtic's current situation is far from ideal, with fan protests during almost every home match and cracks starting to appear in the squad. Despite the legendary status of interim manager Martin O'Neill, the team has lost seven league matches, equalling the total losses of the previous two seasons combined.
Rangers' draw with Livingston was not without controversy. Despite a two-goal lead for Livingston, Rangers managed to draw level. However, a late incident involving Mikey Moore being taken down by Cammy Kerr when through on goal led to calls for a penalty.
The referee and video assistant referee ruled the incident to be outside the box and not denying a goalscoring opportunity, much to the frustration of Rangers' head coach Danny Rohl.
With the Old Firm derby looming, the title race is set to become even more thrilling. Despite the setbacks, both Celtic and Rangers are determined to bounce back, while Hearts and Motherwell will be looking to capitalise on any further slip-ups.
