What Hearts, St Mirren and Motherwell require as Scottish Premiership top six race set for dramatic climax
Last slot to be decided in final weekend before split
Love it or loathe it, the Scottish Premiership split always serves up drama and this weekend is set to be no different.
The race for the top six will go down to the wire with three clubs in the hunt for the last remaining position ahead of the final round of fixtures before the split.
Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, Aberdeen and Dundee United are already confirmed in the top six, with United sealing their place at the weekend thanks to results elsewhere prior to their 1-0 win over Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday.
It will now go down to a final fight out between Hearts, St Mirren and Motherwell to join that quintet with only one of the trio able to secure a top half finish with the other two condemned to play out the rest of the season in the bottom half of the division.
Hearts are currently in pole position, sitting in sixth place on 39 points, one point ahead of both St Mirren and Motherwell, after all three clubs lost their weekend matches to maintain the status quo.
Much will depend on what happens at Fir Park this Saturday where two of the three hopefuls, Motherwell and Hearts, meet in a potential winner-takes-all showdown at 3pm.
Hearts have their destiny in their own hands, safe in the knowledge that a victory over Michael Wimmer's men will book their top six spot regardless of what happens elsewhere.
A draw for Neil Critchley's side could also be enough, but would rely on St Mirren failing to beat Ross County at home in a match which also kicks off at 3pm on Saturday.
Motherwell's only hope of finishing sixth is to beat Hearts at home - which they already managed this season with a 3-1 victory back in August - and hope that St Mirren fail to beat Ross County. Saints have a superior goal difference of -10, compared to Motherwell's -19, which the Steelmen are unlikely to overhaul in one weekend.
The Buddies can only secure a top six place if they take care of their own business by beating Ross County in Paisley. A draw will not be enough for Stephen Robinson's side regardless of what happens in Motherwell.
May the best team win.
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