What do fans of top three make of Scottish Premiership split?

Hearts are still top of the league but a draw away to Livingston at the weekend leaves that position looking a little precarious.

Prior to Saturday, Derek McInnes’ side had occupied the top spot for all but one weekend – matchday five back in September – and even then they were only behind Celtic on goal difference.

After Rangers beat Dundee United, Danny Rohl’s side moved on top for the first time in almost two years. It was shortlived, though, with a point in West Lothian enough to put Hearts back on the summit.

The Tynecastle side head into their final pre-split game one point above Rangers in second and three in front of reigning champions Celtic in third.

After the split, they are away to Edinburgh rivals Hibs before hosting Rangers, travelling to Motherwell and hosting Falkirk before a final-day trip to Celtic Park.

However, Hearts supporter Liam Corbett, of the This is My Story podcast, fears their inability to beat some of the bottom-six sides has already seriously dented their title chances.

“I don’t think the split is going to be any part of the conversation as to why we didn’t win the title,” he told the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast.

“When you can’t beat the four bottom clubs in the league, it doesn’t matter about the split.

“I think for Hearts fans now, the conversation of who plays who after the split is irrelevant. It won’t play any part in where the title goes.

“We needed a points cushion going into the split. We essentially don’t have one now and it’s due to the fact that we can’t beat Livingston, Kilmarnock, St Mirren and Aberdeen away from home over the course of the season.

“I think that we’ve got pretty tough fixtures, but we could have given ourselves a cushion and we haven’t. So it’s kind of our own downfall there.”