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Celtic logo
Scottish Premiership | Gameweek 5
Sep 14, 2024 at 3pm UK
Celtic Park
Hearts logo

Celtic
2 - 0
Hearts

Engels (51' pen.), McCowan (90')
Kuhn (21')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Penrice (41')

Preview: Celtic vs. Hearts - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Scottish Premiership clash between Celtic and Hearts, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Celtic are unbeaten in all competitions since March, and they will also look to continue their impressive run in the Scottish Premiership when they host Hearts on Saturday.

While Hearts are the last team to have defeated Celtic, the visitors are yet to taste victory in their seven games so far this season.


Match preview

Celtic's Adam Idah celebrates a goal on February 28, 2024© Imago

Celtic are purring and will be brimming with confidence as they come into Saturday's game top of the league on goal difference, and fresh off a 3-0 win over their arch-rivals Rangers.

Goals from Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi and Callum McGregor sealed what was a commanding victory for the Hoops, and Brendan Rodgers's side are once again proving to be a cut above the rest in Scotland's top flight.

So far in all competitions this season, Celtic have won five games out of five with 15 goals scored and just one conceded.

The Hoops also boast the highest xG (1.99) and the lowest xGA (0.75) from their four league games, as they look to make it four Scottish Premiership titles in a row and a remarkable 14 out of the last 15 seasons.

Having sold Matt O'Riley to Brighton and Hove Albion over the summer, midfield reinforcements Arne Engels from FC Augsburg, Luke McCowan from Dundee and Paulo Bernardo from Benfica have certainly lessened the blow with how well they have settled in this season.

With a favourable Champions League draw and a Scottish League Cup quarter-final against Falkirk to look forward to later this month, there is plenty of reason for optimism for the Glasgow outfit.

Hearts' Kenneth Vargas in action on August 3, 2024© Imago

While all is well for Celtic, that is certainly not the case for Hearts, who sit in 11th in the table and are winless across their first seven games in all competitions this season.

Their most recent game was a 1-0 home defeat against Dundee United at the beginning of September, when Ross Graham's late strike was enough for the away side to take all three points from Tynecastle.

Steven Naismith's side also crashed out of the play-off stage of the Europa League, as they lost 2-0 on aggregate to Czech outfit Viktoria Plzen.

As a result of their domestic and European form, The Jam Tarts are now winless in seven games and were also dumped out of the League Cup by Scottish Championship side Falkirk.

This poor start to the season is a huge surprise given the fact that Hearts finished third last season with 20 wins from their 38 games, which included two 2-0 triumphs over Celtic.

The 2-0 victory at Celtic Park was particularly impressive, as goals from Lawrence Shankland and Stephen Kingsley gave Hearts their first win at Celtic in 14 years, but on current form it appears that they will need a small miracle to even come away with a point on Saturday.

Celtic Scottish Premiership form:
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W

Celtic form (all competitions):
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W

Hearts Scottish Premiership form:
  • D
  • L
  • L
  • L

Hearts form (all competitions):
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • L


Team News

Kyogo Furuhashi of Celtic on August 11, 2024© Imago

Rodgers has a fully-fit squad to pick from, and given the excellent performance of his side against Rangers, it would be a surprise if he made too many changes to his starting XI.

In Nicolas Kuhn, Maeda and Kyogo, Celtic have a terrific attacking trio, and all three should start again here as they look to continue their fine start to the season.

The only injury concern for Hearts is their long-term absentee Calem Nieuwenhof (tendon tear), but Beni Baningime (knee) is closing in on a return from his injury.

Elsewhere, the Jam Tarts will be hoping that Shankland finds his scoring boots soon, but he will need support from the likes of Yutaro Oda and Kenneth Vargas on the flanks if he is to be effective on the counter-attack.


Celtic possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor; McGregor, Bernardo, Hatate; Kuhn, Maeda, Kyogo

Hearts possible starting lineup:
Gordon; Kingsley, Halkett, Kent, Penrice; Boateng, Grant, Spittal; Oda, Vargas, Shankland


SM words green background

We say: Celtic 3-0 Hearts

While Hearts did beat Celtic twice last season, their current form is a huge concern, and it would be a surprise to see anything other than a convincing home win.

The Hoops are in great form and are playing some sensational football, and while we expect them to make it five wins from five in the league this Saturday, they could have one eye on their Champions League opener in midweek.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Written by
Nathan Hunter

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Game History

How you voted: Celtic vs Hearts

Celtic
86.3%
Draw
5.0%
Hearts
8.8%
80
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Celtic's Reo Hatate celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on August 4, 2024
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic1514104444043
2Aberdeen16104230181234
3RangersRangers1510232791832
4Motherwell178272327-426
5Dundee UnitedDundee Utd166642519624
6St Mirren176382228-621
7Dundee165472729-219
8Kilmarnock184681935-1618
9Hibernian173682129-815
10Ross County173681333-2015
11St Johnstone1742112032-1214
12Hearts1734101826-813


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