Every team in the Scottish Premiership has now faced one another after Wednesday’s dramatic full card of fixtures completed the first round of the 2026-27 season. BBC Sport Scotland has assessed what the opening 11 matches have taught us — and history suggests this is the point where the table starts to take shape. In two of the last three seasons, the teams sitting in the top six at this stage ended up staying there.
Scottish Premiership (Credits: BBC Sport)
Hearts Challenge the Old Firm Again
Hearts are once again the great disruptors. After coming within minutes of being the first non-Old Firm side to win the league since 1985 last season, Wouter Vrancken’s rebuilt side sit third — eight points behind Celtic and four behind Rangers. Only Celtic have scored more goals, and Hearts are unbeaten in the league at Tynecastle since April 2025, a run of 26 games.
But Wednesday’s 2-2 home draw with Rangers — a game Hearts should have won — exposed an injury-ravaged squad, and a 7-1 clobbering at Celtic Park highlights an unconvincing away record. Juggling European football, they may struggle to keep pace with the Old Firm.
Scottish Premiership: Celtic and Rangers Dominate the Metrics
Celtic are on course for over 90 points despite their own supporters remaining unconvinced — last season’s title came with just 82, the lowest since 2017-18. Rangers also have doubters, but both clubs sit in the top two of the key performance metrics: expected goals for and against, shots on target per game, and chances created. The two giants are the only sides conceding fewer than one goal per game on average.
The table after 11 matches is rarely a fluke. With the Old Firm dominating the underlying numbers and Hearts showing both promise and fragility, the first circuit has set up a fascinating 38-game campaign ahead.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.