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Heart of Midlothian remain undefeated atop the Scottish Premiership, though they’ve relinquished points in two of their last three contests.
Meanwhile, Celtic and Rangers have each secured maximum points since the appointments of Martin O’Neill and Danny Rohl, respectively.
With both managers relatively new to their posts – one an interim – and European disappointments marring the Old Firm’s record, are there indications of a domestic power shift?
Hearts currently lead Celtic by seven points and Rangers by 12, albeit with the Glasgow clubs each holding a game in hand.
Celtic ease by Kilmarnock to narrow gap at summit
Rangers stroll to victory over lowly Dundee
O’Neill’s temporary arrival at Celtic last month coincided with internal strife, notably Brendan Rodgers’ contentious departure.
Following Hearts’ 3-1 victory over Celtic at Tynecastle, which widened the gap to eight points, the veteran manager was brought in to stabilize the team.
Despite a comprehensive defeat against Midtjylland on Thursday, O’Neill has achieved domestic success, winning all three of his matches, narrowing the league deficit, and guiding Celtic to the Premier Sports Cup final at the expense of Rangers.
Under the Northern Irishman, Celtic’s attack has flourished, yielding 11 goals in those three games.
In contrast, the champions managed only 10 goals in Rodgers’ final seven domestic matches, with four coming in a League Cup victory over Partick Thistle.
O’Neill lauded Celtic’s 4-0 triumph over Kilmarnock on Sunday but emphasized the work required to defend their title.
“There were some parts of the performance I was absolutely delighted with,” he stated. “We defended strongly.”
“You do need help when you’re chasing someone, but there’s a long way to go.”
Regarding his future, O’Neill remained elusive, uncertain if he will be in charge for the upcoming match against St Mirren.
Should the Kilmarnock victory mark the end of his second spell with the club, he would accept it with equanimity.
“I’ll take a little time in the international break, most of our players will be away, and there will be time of inner reflection,” he said.
“It’s been a whirlwind of a fortnight, I can’t believe it’s really happened.
“I genuinely don’t know [if I’ll be back in two weeks]. If the board make up their mind, it’s absolutely fine by me.”
Since Danny Rohl’s arrival, Rangers’ Premiership points tally has doubled.
Three league games, three wins, seven goals scored and only one conceded.
The team has secured two clean sheets on the road, ending a club-record run of 23 games without one in all competitions.
Following Sunday’s 3-0 victory at Dundee, supporters enthusiastically chanted the German’s name, and Rohl is keen to solidify this early connection.
“I see a lot of togetherness more and more,” the 36-year-old remarked.
“I have great support from my staff and my coaches, and the players are listening. If we can bring this together with our fans, then we are all going in one direction and we can build something here.”
Under his predecessor, Russell Martin, Rangers often engaged in impotent passing for its own sake; Rohl’s approach appears more pragmatic.
There is a greater emphasis on quickly advancing the ball into the final third, with players showing a willingness to play long passes.
A resolute performance at Easter Road demonstrated Rangers’ ability to defend a lead.
The semi-final defeat against Celtic in extra-time was hard-fought, and Rohl’s tactical acumen enabled his side to create scoring opportunities despite playing the majority of the match with 10 men.
On his promising league start, Rohl added: “I think this is huge, as is keeping clean sheets. That’s helpful.
“We know our expectations are high. We want to do more but it takes steps and I think it’s important to understand that after wins, we are not straight up in one direction and after we lose it’s in another direction.
“We need to have a good balance. At the moment I see forward steps, even if everything is not perfect.”
While Hearts’ lead has been diminished, they remain unbeaten in the league and boast impressive victories against the Old Firm.
Both of O’Neill’s Premiership matches have been at home, and sterner tests than Falkirk and Kilmarnock await.
Rangers, meanwhile, relied on a penalty save and a missed opportunity by Hibs to secure a 1-0 win at Easter Road.
The defeats to Brann and Roma exposed vulnerabilities in Rohl’s defense, mirroring Midtjylland’s dismantling of Celtic.
Hearts next travel to Aberdeen and Motherwell, without the burden of European fixtures.
Rangers are currently trailing significantly, behind Hibs on goal difference, but are expected to win their upcoming home games against Livingston and Falkirk.
Celtic’s next two assignments are more challenging, away to St Mirren and Hibs. Should they emerge unscathed, the title race could tighten considerably by December 7, when Hearts visit Celtic Park.
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