Scottish Premiership: How does the league division work?

It is clear that the SPFL does not know which teams will be in which half of the table at the start of the season when deciding who will have 16 home games and 17 away games before the split. Calculations are based on the previous campaign.

If you had 17 home games, you would nominally expect to play two more after the split. If you had 16 at home, you would expect three.

Hearts, Rangers, Motherwell and Falkirk will have played 17 at home until round 33. Celtic and Hibs will have played 16 at home.

Here’s where it gets a little tricky.

Given the need to balance home and away derbies and the stakes in the title race, two of Hearts’ away games will be at Easter Road and Celtic Park, while Rangers will be away to Celtic and Hearts, having hosted these teams twice in the Premier League.

However, Falkirk will get a third league trip to Tynecastle after visiting Hearts twice during the first 33 rounds of the campaign.

As well as visits from Hearts and Rangers, Celtic will have a home meeting with Falkirk, who much like their record against Hearts, have already been to Celtic Park twice this season.

Meanwhile, Rangers will have offered Hibs, Falkirk and Motherwell just eleven each, but will have just two home games after the split. Similarly, Motherwell have hosted Falkirk, Hibs and Rangers twice each, but can only expect two home games against that trio.

Meanwhile, Rangers will have hosted Falkirk just once by the time the season ends. Similarly, Motherwell have hosted Falkirk, Hibs and Rangers twice each, but can only expect two home games against that trio.

It’s a headache for the SPFL to sort out and will leave some grumbling fans.