Key questions as Scottish Premiership splits

Following the Scottish Premiership’s split, we know which teams will make up the top and bottom halves of the table.

However, there are still multiple questions left unanswered with five rounds of league fixtures remaining.

With the top six and bottom six teams all playing each other between now and 18 May, there are still likely to be plenty of twists and turns.

The title is not quite sealed yet, European places are up for grabs and all the bottom-six sides are battling to avoid relegation.

Anything other than a defeat by Dundee United on Saturday would confirm a fourth successive title for Celtic.

Brendan Rodgers’ side lead Rangers by 15 points with five games to play.

If Celtic were to lose at Tannadice, Rangers must beat St Mirren in Paisley to deny their Old Firm rivals.

Celtic and Rangers have already booked their place in European competition next season, with the other four top-half teams playing for the three remaining spots.

Aberdeen can earn a spot in the Europa League play-off round if they beat Celtic in the Scottish Cup final, but if the Dons were to lose, that goes to the team who finishes third in the Premiership.

Hibernian are in pole position, but Aberdeen, Dundee United and – to a lesser extent – St Mirren are all still in contention to be best of the rest.

Simo Valakari’s St Johnstone are five points adrift at the foot of the table but do have some cause for optimism as they approach five matches that will make or break their season.

Across the most recent six Premiership games, they are sixth in the form table, with two wins and eight points.

No other side in the bottom six has more in that time and the McDiarmid Park side need multiple wins from their final five games in order to stand a chance of retaining their top-flight status.

In a word, yes.

Only six points separate Hearts in seventh and Dundee, who occupy the relegation play-off spot, in 11th.

The last Old Firm derby of the season will be at Ibrox on 4 May, by which time Celtic could already be champions.

Hibs start their post-split run in Aberdeen on Saturday, which could prove decisive in the race for third.

St Johnstone, currently five points adrift at the foot of the table, begin their quest for survival at Fir Park against Motherwell, before finishing their campaign at home to Dundee.