It would be safe to say that Celtic will have a lot to play for when they take on St Mirren this weekend. This is the final game before the post-split fixtures start. The Premiership title race is the tightest that it has been in decades, with three clubs having a chance to win the league. Hearts are leading the pack at the moment but the Rangers are just a point behind them followed by the Hoops at third.

So, Celtic have no room for error. They need to be absolutely perfect between now and the end of the season, and then they can hope to lift the league title for the fifth straight time.

The Hoops do have the recent experience of getting over the finish line in league title races though. The same cannot be said about Hearts or the Rangers. So, let's see how these three teams respond as the pressure increases over the coming weeks to get results.

St Mirren are not having a great run in the league and currently find themselves near the bottom of the table. That did not stop them from winning the League Cup, defeating Celtic in the final at Hampden Park. The two sides will also meet in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup next weekend.

So, Celtic should be eager to get a result, not just to advance in the league but also to have a mental edge over St Mirren at Hampden Park when they meet next.

The Scottish FA have announced the officials for the game between Celtic and St Mirren.

Duncan Nicolson will referee Celtic vs St Mirren on Saturday, with assistant referees Frank Connor and Scott Anderson joining him at Parkhead. John Beaton will be on VAR duty alongside assistant Duncan Williams.

Of course, there is not much that needs to be said about the history between Celtic and Beaton, and why that appointment might worry some fans.

Celtic do have a good record when it comes to Nicolason refereeing their games though. In the past, he has taken charge of the Hoops' matches on just two occasions. Both times, the Glasgow giants came out on top. They should be looking to make it three on the trot against St Mirren.

Celtic need to be careful of this St Mirren team though. They might be near the bottom of the table but they do come into this game in some decent form.

St Mirren have won their previous two games and three of their last four across all competitions. Their only defeat came against the Rangers. So, Celtic cannot make the mistake of taking them lightly, a lesson they should have learned from the League Cup final earlier in the campaign when Wilfried Nancy was their manager.

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