5 things we learned from this weekend’s cinch Premiership action

Rangers returned to within six points of Celtic at the top of the Premiership with a 4-0 victory at St Mirren, where Kemar Roofe scored a hat-trick.

The league is now set for five exciting post-split games after weekend football separated the clubs into the top six and bottom six.

Here, the PA media breaks down the action from Saturday and Sunday.

Roofe surrenders to St Mirren

Questions have been raised about Rangers’ ability to find the net in the absence of injured striker Alfredo Morelos. Roofe responded with a hat-trick against the Buddies at Paisley that brought a welcome victory.
for Giovanni Van Bronckhorst after two defeats. The former Leeds striker will be key for the Light Blues this week when they take on Braga in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final at Ibrox on Thursday night – they are 1-0 down from the first leg. before meeting Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park next Sunday.

Celtic with a magnificent seven

Ange Postecoglou’s team does not seem to fail in its attempt to snatch the title from Ibrox. Celtic were in brilliant form in Saturday’s 7-0 thrashing of St Johnstone at Parkhead. Goals from Reo Hatate, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Daizen Maeda gave the relentless Hoops all three points before the break. Josip Juranovic added a fourth from the spot early in the second half and Matt O’Riley scored twice in three minutes before fellow substitute Liel Abada fired the seventh and it was a true reflection of Celtic’s superiority and hunger to win. the league.

Halliday takes revenge on Hibees

Hearts midfielder Andy Halliday has been mercilessly egged on by Hibernian supporters since the 2016 Scottish Cup final, when he scored to put Rangers 2-1 ahead and then celebrated with a gesture that implied he felt the game was over, only for the Easter Road team to roar back and win 3-2. In the early stages of Saturday’s Edinburgh derby, Halliday was once again taunted by the away support as Hibs led 1-0 at Tynecastle, but this time he had the last laugh when he scored a brace to help Hearts win 3-1. which sealed third place and sent the Hibees to play the rest of the season in the bottom six.

Hibs face test of character

For anyone who was present for Tynecastle for Hearts’ 3-1 victory, it would be hard to argue that Hibs would be capable of rising enough to try and get revenge in this weekend’s Scottish Cup semi-final rematch at Hampden. The Hibees started well, but once Hearts began to control the game, the visitors were meek and unable to regain the initiative. Aside from the return of defender Ryan Porteous from suspension, Maloney isn’t exactly blessed with many enticing options as he looks to freshen things up and ensure his team is more competitive in the national arena.

theater across the country

On the other hand, Motherwell’s last-gasp equalizer at Livingston moved them into the top half of the table and sent the Lions to the ground. Ross County’s 1–0 win at Aberdeen saw the Staggies break into the top half with the Dons coming up short. Bottom Dundee picked up a point in their derby against Dundee United, but the Tam Courts side remain in the top six. St Johnstone’s heavy defeat at Parkhead means they are five points ahead of Dundee and six behind St Mirren and Aberdeen, so there is plenty to play for in the battle to avoid relegation.