Callum McGregor’s Assessment of Celtic’s Title Chances Was Accurate
Celtic captain Callum McGregor has faced criticism for suggesting the club needs only five or six wins from their remaining seven matches to retain the Scottish Premiership title. While some supporters found these comments disheartening, the reality is that his assessment was mathematically sound.
Following the 2-0 defeat at Dundee United, McGregor stated: “We’ll see if we need to win them all or not, but I think we have to go on a run. Certainly, you’ve got to win at least five or six to have a good chance [of winning the league].”
The context supports his logic. This season has been remarkably unpredictable, with just one matchday out of 31 seeing all three title contenders claim victory. Whoever ultimately lifts the trophy will likely do so with the lowest points total in recent memory.
Both Hearts and Rangers face challenging away fixtures after the split, including trips to Celtic Park. Rangers have won fewer than half their away matches this season, while Hearts must navigate an Edinburgh derby at Easter Road and two encounters with Motherwell. Dropped points for both rivals are inevitable.
If Celtic defeat Hearts and Rangers at Parkhead, they could afford to drop points in two other fixtures and still claim the title. McGregor’s calculation that five or six wins would suffice is therefore realistic rather than defeatist.
This is not to suggest Celtic will achieve even this modest target. A squad performing as inconsistently as this one is unlikely to string together seven consecutive victories, even under Martin O’Neill. However, McGregor’s experience tells him that being the best of a flawed bunch may be sufficient this season.
The captain knows that higher standards are expected at Celtic. His comments reflected pragmatic analysis rather than surrender, recognising that in an unpredictable campaign, perfection may not be required to secure silverware.