Hearts have led the way all season, proving they can beat the Old Firm home and away. But can they now end Martin O’Neill’s winning domestic return?
Derek McInnes’ side are six points clear of the defending champions, but they will be without key players for Sunday’s clash at Tynecastle Park live on Sky Sports.
Captain Lawrence Shankland is sidelined for six to eight weeks with a hamstring injury, joining Cammy Devlin and Stephen Kingsley on the treatment table. Beni Baningime is suspended following his red card in their last Premiership match.
Sunday 25th January 2:30pm
Kick off 3:00pm
Celtic have returned to winning ways on O’Neill’s second return of the season, but they will need a far more convincing display than in their Scottish Cup win against sixth-tier Auchinleck Talbot last weekend.
It is a huge game in Gorgie. One that could have a huge say in where the league trophy will end up in May…
Stage set for Hearts
Hearts are the first team outside the Old Firm to reach 50 points after just 22 Premiership games.
The last non-Old Firm team to reach 50 points or the equivalent in the Scottish top-flight after that number of matches was Aberdeen in 1984/85. The Dons went on to win the title that season.
There is no doubting the Jambos are impressing under Derek McInnes – they finished last season on 52 points with 15 wins.
Top of the table clash
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Hearts have managed to beat Celtic home and away this season
Hearts laid down a marker in the title race with a 3-1 home win against Celtic back in October.
With many still questioning their title credentials, they beat them again at Parkhead to stop them moving level as Wilfried Nancy’s disastrous appointment was laid bare.
Victory on Sunday would see the Jambos secure three successive wins against the Hoops for the first time since 1961.
They are the only team unbeaten at home in the Premiership this season and have scored more goals than Celtic while conceding fewer.
The sides have contrasted in style. Hearts have utilised set plays to great success, while Celtic have opted to keep possession and play through balls when given the chance.
McInnes vs O’Neill
Derek McInnes will come up against his third different Celtic manager this season as he faces Martin O’Neill for the first time.
The 54-year-old has achieved dominance over the Old Firm so far with four wins, with the side also unbeaten in the league at Tynecastle Park.
O’Neill, though, will be a different challenge.
Celtic have won all seven of their league games under the veteran boss, while keeping a clean sheet in six.
The defending champions have scored 17 Premiership goals under O’Neill. With Nancy in charge, they netted 10 times while conceding 12.
Loss of Lawrence
Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland suffered a hamstring injury in last weekend’s Scottish Cup defeat to Falkirk and will be out for six to eight weeks.
It is a huge blow for the side, who usually perform better when the Premiership’s current top player is on the pitch.
The Jambos have scored 211 league goals since Shankland joined from Beerschot in 2022 – he has contributed to 67 of them.
To put that into context, the rest of the current squad have contributed to a combined 82 goals in the league.
Hearts missing midfield beat
Hearts will be without midfielders Cammy Devlin (L) and Beni Baningame against Celtic
Losing Shankland is a blow, but it is even worse for Hearts to also be without their midfield pairing of Cammy Devlin and Beni Baningime.
They have won 14 of the last 15 games that the pair have started in – this season they have won 11 of 12.
Since the duo joined the Jambos in the summer of 2021, Hearts have won over half the Premiership games they have both started in.
Stats
Devlin, also out for up to eight weeks, has been a leader in the middle and has played more minutes than any other Premiership midfielder so far this season.
The impact of Baningame is evident too – Hearts have only won five of the 11 league games they have played without him this campaign, compared with 10 of 11 when he has featured.
O’Neill restores confidence in front of goal
There was no getting away from the fact that Celtic needed a new striker, with Tomas Cvancara joining on loan from Borussia Monchengladbach, but O’Neill does appear to have a knack of getting the best from the players at his disposal.
Johnny Kenny, who had spent the last two seasons on loan at Shamrock Rovers, has scored five of his six goals this season with the veteran boss at the helm.
Another player boosted by O’Neill’s presence is Arne Engels – he has scored two of his four goals from open play in games led by the interim boss.
Then there is Benjamin Nygren, who has a Premiership high of goal involvements this season.
The forward has scored five times and made one assist in the last six games, including the only goal against Falkirk in the Hoops’ last Premiership match.
