After Celtic got the better of fourth-placed Motherwell on Saturday, leaders Hearts slipped up at Kilmarnock and Rangers took advantage in Sunday's lunch time kick-off with a 1-0 win at St Mirren. The same three clubs were in the mix in the 1997-98 campaign, with Celtic eventually triumphing after Hearts fell away. And back in 1983, Dundee United finished one point clear of both Celtic and Aberdeen. Rangers went to Paisley on Sunday knowing they needed to win in order to make the most of Hearts' defeat and also to arrest their own stuttering form, having drawn three of their past four league outings and been knocked out of the Scottish Cup by Celtic. Under interim manager Martin O'Neill, the Parkhead outfit won away in Stuttgart in the Europa League, drew 2-2 at Rangers in the league before knocking their Glasgow rivals out of the Scottish Cup on penalties. " Indeed, when asked who they were backing to top the table on 16 May, both pundits agreed.