Scottish Premiership: Oxlade-Chamberlain Debut Seals Celtic Victory

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Celtic stayed in touch with leaders Hearts thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s late debut winner, while Rangers slipped further back after dropping points at Motherwell, leaving the Scottish Premiership title race finely balanced heading into the final months.

Hearts moved clear at the top on 10 February 2026 with a 1-0 derby victory over Hibernian, so Martin O'Neill’s Celtic entered the Livingston clash knowing any slip at Parkhead would deepen the six-point gap, even with a game in hand.

Celtic’s response against Livingston came in dramatic fashion on 11 February 2026, as Oxlade-Chamberlain struck in second-half stoppage time to seal a 2-1 success, keeping the Glasgow club within range of Hearts and easing tension around Parkhead after a tense evening.

The hosts started aggressively against bottom side Livingston and broke through after 15 minutes, when Marcelo Saracchi powered in the opener, yet Celtic failed to extend the lead despite sustained pressure and a series of promising attacks that tested the visiting defence.

Livingston goalkeeper Jerome Prior kept the contest alive with several important saves, denying Celtic from close range and distance, so every missed opportunity increased anxiety among home supporters who knew Hearts had already claimed three points in the Edinburgh derby.

The momentum briefly swung towards Livingston early in the second half, as Robbie Muirhead levelled from the penalty spot in the 57th minute after Reo Hatate committed a foul inside the area, punishing Celtic’s earlier wastefulness and threatening a major setback in the standings.

Parkhead’s frustration transformed into relief when Oxlade-Chamberlain received space on the edge of the box in the first minute of added time, curling a precise effort beyond Prior to complete a winning debut and secure a vital comeback victory for O'Neill’s side.

Celtic and Rangers Scottish Premiership title race hit by Rangers setback

While Celtic found a late winner, Danny Rohl’s Rangers saw two points slip away at Fir Park, where a 1-1 draw with Motherwell on 11 February 2026 left Rangers five points behind Hearts and increased the pressure in their own pursuit of the Premiership leaders.

Rangers made a rapid start when Nico Raskin ran onto Mohamed Diomande’s through ball and finished clinically in the sixth minute, but Motherwell responded well, with Tawanda Maswanhise hitting the post and Stephen O'Donnell having an effort cleared off the line.

Youssef Chermiti then passed up a major chance to double Rangers’ advantage, failing to convert a one-on-one opportunity, and Motherwell’s situation worsened in the 78th minute when Lukas Fadinger received a red card for a lunge on Mikey Moore.

Despite being reduced to 10 players, Motherwell forced a late twist, as Stephen Welsh reacted first to Eythor Bjorgolffson’s knock-down in the 89th minute, steering the ball home to claim a dramatic equaliser and deal a blow to Rangers’ chase of Hearts and Celtic.

Celtic and Rangers Scottish Premiership title race highlighted by key statistics

Performance data from the Celtic match showed Benjamin Nygren unusually profligate in front of goal, while Oxlade-Chamberlain’s impact proved extremely efficient, and Rangers’ attacking record under Rohl continued, even though one goal at Fir Park did not produce the required result.

Rangers have now scored in 22 of their 26 Premiership fixtures this season, a figure bettered only by Hearts, who have found the net in 23 league matches, yet the dropped points at Motherwell mean both Rangers and Celtic still trail Hearts despite their strong attacking numbers.

Across the two matches, Hearts maintained control of the Scottish Premiership table, Celtic stayed within reach thanks to Oxlade-Chamberlain’s decisive debut strike, and Rangers’ late setback at Fir Park underlined how costly single moments can be in a tight title race.