Celtic will visit Tynecastle Park on Sunday as Hearts aim to keep their strong title challenge going against them.
Hearts lead the Scottish Premiership with 50 points from 22 games, six points ahead of Celtic, who are in second place.
Hearts vs Celtic – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Saturday, 24th January.
- Kick-off: 3pm BST.
- Venue: Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh.
Hearts Team News
Lawrence Shankland, the top scorer with 11 league goals, will miss the next six to eight weeks due to a hamstring injury sustained in the Scottish Cup loss to Falkirk. Midfielder Cammy Devlin is also out with a similar injury. Beni Baningime is suspended after receiving a red card, requiring manager Derek McInnes to manage his squad effectively. Eduardo Ageu and Oisin McEntee are expected to return to full training on Friday and may play, although McEntee has been unavailable for three weeks. Stephen Kingsley is sidelined with a groin injury. Forward Claudio Braga has stepped up in Shankland’s absence, scoring nine league goals this season.
Celtic Team News
Celtic has signed Julian Araujo on loan from Bournemouth for the rest of the season. The Mexican defender can play as a right-back or wing-back and has already made three appearances. Hayato Inamura has gone on loan to FC Tokyo. Celtic will miss several key players, including Jota, Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Callum Osmand, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Marcelo Saracchi.
Form
Hearts
Hearts have faced disappointment in cup competitions, losing to Falkirk in the Scottish Cup on penalties and to St Mirren in the Scottish League Cup. However, their league performance remains strong, with an unbeaten home record in the Premiership, totaling 27 points from 11 matches at Tynecastle, the best home record in the league. McInnes believes their success is consistent, not just a temporary phase.
Celtic
After a tough stretch under Wilfried Nancy, resulting in six losses in eight matches, Celtic has improved significantly since Martin O’Neill’s return on January 4. Under him, they have gone unbeaten in three wins and a draw, including wins against Falkirk, Dundee United, and Auchinleck Talbot, as well as a tough 2-2 draw in the Europa League against Bologna while down a player. O’Neill has rebuilt confidence in the team, and players are responding well to his leadership.
Predicted Lineups
Hearts: Schwolow; Steinwender, Halkett, Findlay, Milne; Altena, Spittal, Magnusson, Kyziridis; Braga, Kabore
Celtic: Schmeichel; Araujo, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; Engels, McGregor; Hyun-Jun, Hatate, Tounekti; Maeda
How to Watch Hearts vs Celtic?
In the UK, the match will be live on Sky Sports Football. Celtic TV will also stream the game live for subscribers, including those with the UK-based Celtic TV “Live” package.
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