Celtic’s 66.7% and 1.8 stats show why Derek McInnes is right to fear Hearts collapse

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(Credit: Imago) Sat 4 April 2026 18:00, UK Celtic are looking to return to winning ways this weekend, with Derek McInnes insisting that the Hoops are in the Scottish Premiership title race.Martin O’Neill’s side dropped a crucial three points before the international break as they lost to Dundee United 2-0.As a result, the club fell to third in the table, five points behind Heart of Midlothian at the summit.Nevertheless, McInnes has insisted Celtic are still in the title race due to O’Neill’s experience, with the Jambo’s coach clearly initiating mind games.Many stats show why the manager is right to be fearful as Celtic’s title ambitions hang in the balance. ⚽ Celtic Matchday ⚽ >Team news, line-ups, expert previews and verdicts, and tactical analysis for every Hoops fixture. VISIT THE CELTIC MATCH HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Derek McInnes: You’d be foolish to rule out Celtic from the title raceWhile Hearts are still top of the table going into matchday 32, the pressure is clearly mounting on the club.On Sunday, they could go into their match against Livingston as a second-placed side if Rangers win on Saturday, the first time this would have happened in months.Martin O’Neill’s record at Celtic since his returnGames managed 18Wins 11Draws 4Losses 3Win percentage61.1%O’Neill has had a mixed record since his return to Celtic As a result, McInnes has attempted to reflect some of this pressure in his recent press conference.Speaking to the Daily Mail on 4 April, when asked if Celtic are still a threat to their title ambitions, he said: “One hundred per cent.

You wouldn’t discount a Martin O’Neill Celtic team at any juncture.“They’re a good side, they’ve got good players and they’ve been over the course. I think they’ve got a fantastic manager.“It was obviously a blow for them (losing at Tannadice), but there’s still a lot of football to be played and I think anybody ruling Celtic out would be foolish.”However, McInnes may be right to be fearful, with Celtic still at the top of the division in many stats.According to Fotmob on 4 April, they are averaging the most goals per game at 1.8, the highest average possession at 66.7 per cent and by far the most xG at 67.On top of this, they have the lowest xG conceded at 30.3, and the second-least set-piece goals conceded at 7.Therefore, if Celtic can translate their stats into victories, there is every chance that they could still win the title at Heart and Rangers’ expense.How important could Scottish Premiership title be for Celtic’s future?Football Insider exclusively revealed that the Champions League could be vital for Celtic if they want to afford a complete overhaul of their squad.While a busy summer of recruitment is expected, no matter if they qualify for Europe’s most prestigious competition or not, it could help get the club back on track.Therefore, winning the league ensures that they qualify straight into the playoff round, bypassing the other qualifying stages where they are at risk of going out early.As a result, the Scottish Premiership title could be vital to their short-term transfer ambitions.