Hearts, Rangers and Celtic in unchartered territory but don't read too much into title odds just yet

This is the last break in the league campaign, with international football taking centre stage over the next week and World Cup hopes on the line. By the end of this month, we will know every team competing at this summer’s tournament.

April and May are the business end of the club game. Our top flight resumes on April 4 – Easter weekend – and by the time the bunny arrives a day later, there could be a new team at the top of the league. Temporarily, at least.

The Premiership title race has been compelling from the word go and we have three teams fighting it out to be champions. Hearts have been top since September and currently have 66 points with a goal difference of +28. Rangers are on 63 points with a goal difference of +30 and then we have defending champions Celtic, who are third on 61 points with a goal difference of +22.

All three camps have predicted twists and turns and they’ve been proven right. Hearts lost to Kilmarnock a fortnight ago and Celtic were soundly defeated 2-0 by Dundee United at the weekend. There are no gimmes in the most competitive division for years.

When the action reconvenes, the spotlight will be on Rangers. They host Dundee United at Ibrox a week on Saturday and because Hearts don’t play until Easter Sunday, they will go top with a win by virtue of their superior goal difference. The Jam Tarts, however, can reassume their mantle with a positive result away at Livingston. Celtic head to Dundee later on the Sunday with so little margin for error.

For a generation of Celtic supporters, we are in uncharted territory. Manager Martin O’Neill says his team need to win all their remaining games to finish top of the pile. The bookies have eased Celtic out to third favourites at 5/2, with Hearts the 5/4 favourites and Rangers next in the betting at 6/4. The chances are this will fluctuate.

The league splits after the 33rd round of fixtures on April 11/12. Hearts host Motherwell, Celtic welcome St Mirren to Parkhead and Rangers are at Falkirk. We do not yet know the remaining five game weeks as they can only be confirmed once the top and bottom six are set.

Mental fortitude will decide title

Hearts have been the most consistent team in the country for some time now and if they can keep up that form, it is hard to see anyone toppling them. Rangers are rejuvenated under current head coach Danny Rohl and defeated the Jam Tarts 4-2 at Ibrox just last month, but then drew with Livingston and Celtic. Whenever a chance to properly kick on presents itself, they have stumbled.

Much of the title battle now is in the head. Whoever shows the best mental fortitude will probably prevail.

What will make the title race even more compelling is that almost all other issues in the league are yet to be resolved. Every game will have something riding on it.

Seventh-placed Dundee United have a squeak of forcing their way into the top six. They need to defeat Rangers and Livingston in the last two regular-season matches and hope Falkirk do not take any points from their games against Motherwell and Rangers. It’s not an impossibility – but the Bairns are heavy favourites to be in the top six.

With a Scottish Cup semi-final to look forward to, Falkirk’s season has been a rip-roaring success. They are five points behind fifth-placed Hibs and a further six adrift of Motherwell in fourth. To get European football, they would need to either win the cup or land fifth and hope Celtic are victorious at Hampden.

Motherwell have earned a lorryload of praise for their performances under Jens Berthel Askou but their last three games have been underwhelming, with defeats by Dundee and Celtic and then a home goalless draw against Hibs. Some would see it as a travesty if they did not finish inside the top four and Hibs remain hopeful of cutting the six-point gap between the teams. David Gray’s men have Kilmarnock and Aberdeen before the split and after three consecutive draws, wins are required promptly to stop their season fizzling out.

There is an almighty scrap developing in the bottom six. Even if Dundee United fail to make it out of there, they are ten points clear of 11th spot and should avoid the relegation play-off. It is far more uncomfortable for others.

Aberdeen’s slide down to ninth place has been well documented and the Dons are in real bother. They have 30 points with a goal difference of -15, three ahead of both St Mirren (-22) and Kilmarnock (-25). Stephen Robinson has not yet got a bounce out of an under-performing squad and he takes them to his former club in Paisley on April 4. That is a six-pointer.

Eighth-placed Dundee have 32 points (-18) and aren’t out of the scrap either, despite their recent renaissance under Steven Pressley.

Livingston, meanwhile, are on 15 points and bottom of the pile, 12 away from safety. They have mildly improved under the tutelage of Marvin Bartley but barring a miracle, they are booked for automatic relegation.

That feels like the only settled issue in this league. Enjoy the international football but let’s not kid ourselves, we can’t wait for the conclusion of a truly memorable Premiership season.