European Point war

Dundee United endured a frustrating home draw, finishing 2-2 against a relegation-threatened side. It was a disappointing result, especially considering that all their direct competitors in the league secured victories in this round.

Elsewhere, Inverness secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Aberdeen in an away fixture, Hearts stunned Celtic with a 2-0 win at home, and Motherwell dominated St. Johnstone 4-0 in a commanding display.

These results had a significant impact on the standings, as Dundee United dropped from fourth to fifth place, slipping out of the European qualification spots.

A Rare Double Defeat for Glasgow's Giants

One of the biggest surprises of the round was the simultaneous defeat of both Celtic and Rangers—something that does not happen often in Scottish football.

Celtic, already struggling for consistency this season, fell 0-2 in their visit to Hearts. Meanwhile, Rangers were expected to have a routine victory at home but were humiliated 0-3 by Hibernian, in what was arguably the biggest upset of the season so far.

Each season, the Glasgow giants typically begin with dominant winning streaks, establishing a significant lead over the rest of the league. As the season progresses, they shift focus between domestic competitions and European tournaments while carefully managing their battle for the title.

However, it is rare for both teams to suffer defeats on the same day, making this round particularly eventful.

Following this round, the league table saw some significant shifts. Rangers remained in first place with 31 points, with Celtic just behind on 30 points. However, the battle for the third spot intensified.

Motherwell held onto third with 22 points.

Hearts climbed to fourth with 20 points.

Dundee United fell to fifth with 19 points.

Inverness trailed closely behind with 18 points.

The gap between the league's top two and the rest of the teams was now clearly visible, further reinforcing the idea that the Scottish Premiership remains a two-team race for the title.

On November 17, Dundee United hosted Kilmarnock in the 13th round of the league. Despite the short turnaround, Dundee United recovered their form and managed to secure a 2-1 victory at home, earning three crucial points.

The team's goals came from Jon Daly and Johnny Russell, two players who have been battling for starting positions.

Meanwhile, Motherwell suffered a setback, losing 1-2 to Hibernian, allowing Hearts to overtake them in third place with 23 points. Dundee United, now level with Motherwell on 22 points, remained just outside the top four due to goal difference.

At the top of the table, both Celtic and Rangers bounced back with victories, reaching 34 and 33 points, respectively.

One of the key storylines emerging from Dundee United's recent matches has been the rise of 20-year-old forward Johnny Russell.

With goals in consecutive games, Russell has begun to challenge Jon Daly's place as the team's primary striker.

Daly, an experienced veteran, had been a guaranteed starter for much of the season, but Russell's form has forced him to take training more seriously, as his position is no longer secure.

This newfound competition could prove beneficial for Dundee United in the long run, as both strikers will now have extra motivation to perform at their best.

After this round of matches, the Scottish Football Association announced a significant scheduling change. Dundee United's 15th-round home fixture against Rangers was postponed, with the new date yet to be determined.

This decision, however, had nothing to do with Dundee United. The postponement was made solely to accommodate Rangers' congested schedule.

With Rangers fighting on multiple fronts—competing against Celtic in the league, preparing for the Scottish League Cup semi-finals, and facing a decisive UEFA Champions League fixture—the club requested a postponement from the Scottish FA.

The governing body quickly approved Rangers' request, prioritizing their European commitments.

Normally, Celtic would have opposed such a request, as any decision benefiting Rangers would typically be blocked by their arch-rivals.

However, this time, Celtic remained uncharacteristically silent, allowing Rangers to have their way.

The reason? Scotland's declining UEFA coefficient ranking.

Scotland's UEFA Coefficient Struggles

The UEFA coefficient ranking is determined by the performance of a nation's clubs in European competitions over the past five seasons.

Each country's total points come from the combined performance of all clubs in European tournaments, divided by the number of teams participating.

Scottish football has been struggling on this front for years.

Aside from Rangers and Celtic, other Scottish clubs routinely underperform in Europe, often crashing out in the early rounds of the UEFA Europa League.

Last season, Scotland's coefficient dropped to 16th place, meaning that only the league champion would qualify for the Champions League—a drastic reduction from previous years when both first and second place were awarded Champions League spots.

The only way for Scotland to regain two Champions League places was to climb back into the top 15 UEFA coefficient rankings.

This season, Celtic failed to qualify for the Champions League, dropping into the Europa League—where they still failed to reach the group stage.

This left Rangers as Scotland's only hope for improving the country's coefficient ranking.

In the Champions League group stage, Rangers were drawn into a tough group alongside:

Manchester United (England)

Valencia (Spain)

Bursaspor (Turkey)

After four rounds, the standings were as follows:

1. Manchester United – 10 points (3 wins, 1 draw)

2. Valencia – 7 points (2 wins, 1 draw)

3. Rangers – 5 points (1 win, 2 draws)

The next fixture for Rangers was a crucial home match against Manchester United—a game that would determine their fate in the Champions League.

A loss would likely see them eliminated, but a victory would significantly boost their chances of qualifying for the knockout rounds.

Additionally, if Rangers reached the knockout stage, the bonus points they earned could be enough to push Scotland back into the top 15 UEFA coefficient rankings.

Scotland's competition in the UEFA rankings was fierce, with the Swiss, Belgian, and Danish leagues all holding slightly higher coefficients.

A strong Champions League campaign from Rangers could shift the balance, allowing Scotland to regain its second Champions League spot.

This was why Celtic chose not to block Rangers' request for a postponement.

If Rangers helped Scotland return to the top 15, both clubs would benefit in the following seasons.

After all, Rangers and Celtic almost always finish in the top two, so a second Champions League spot would be an advantage for both.

This situation has led to a rare moment of unity between the two rivals, as Scottish football as a whole hopes for Rangers' success in Europe.