What Hearts require in top-six race and likely points total

What Hearts require in top-six race and likely points total

With only 11 points between third and eleventh place and four points separating sixth and eleventh, the chase for the top six has scarcely been more thrilling or tight.

Although the split causes division among Scottish football supporters, it should be seen as a positive feature that adds excitement and more significant games in addition to a goal.

Currently, finishing in the top six will determine whether a team fights for a European spot or to escape the relegation play-off spot… at least.

Hearts will travel to play St Johnstone, who are at the bottom of the table, in an attempt to recover from their 3-1 loss to Rangers on Saturday. Even though the squad had a six-game league winning streak going into the match against the Ibrox team, the defeat—which could have easily been a victory—saw them fall to ninth place in the standings.

The starting gun for the race to the top six might be this weekend. With seven games left until the split, 21 points are up for grabs.

Win games is the straightforward response to the query, “What do Hearts need to get into the top six?”

Following St Johnstone, Hearts will host St Mirren, visit Hibs, welcome Ross County to Gorgie, travel to Celtic, host Dundee United, and play Motherwell on the road to complete the pre-split schedule.

A very good return would be 15 points or more. Although it may seem unrealistic given that it amounts to half of the current total accumulated from 26 games, performances and outcomes have been improving.

In the 23 complete seasons that the split has been in use, we do know that the average number of points needed to place in the top six has been 43.7, or let’s say 44. 14 points from the last seven games, then? Once more, it’s definitely possible but not always simple.

Given the league’s current trajectory, a point total of less than 40 to 44 would be sufficient. The sixth-place club has ended with between those points after 33 games in 18 of the 23 seasons. After 33 games, no team with fewer than 40 points has made it to the top half.

With a goal differential of -1, Hearts are also ahead. Rangers, Dundee United, and Celtic are the only three teams in the league with a positive goal differential; Aberdeen, in third place, has a -5 goal differential.

In a sense, the men in maroon also possess a record, having scored 50 points in the 2018–19 season—the most points for a club in sixth position after 33 games.

Read more  news on https://sportupdates.co.uk/