Celtic beating Hearts for second time in days would land huge pyschological blow

By Sam Preston

So far this season, Hearts have done their very best to take full advantage of Celtic’s stuttering start and will hope to create a genuine title race.

Even if Celtic beat their table-topping visitors this weekend, Craig Levein’s side will still be top of the league, although the Bhoys would have a game in hand.

But a victory, which would be Celtic’s second over Hearts in just six days after the 3-0 triumph in the Betfred Cup semi finals last Sunday, would mean much more than that in the grand scheme of this season’s title race.

There are signs that Brendan Rodgers’ side are reasserting themselves as Scotland’s dominant force and as much as Hearts have belief that they can have a good season, that would surely be shaken by two defeats from the resurgent reigning champions.

(Photo by Alan Rennie/Action Plus via Getty Images)

Even if it takes Celtic a little while to fully recover and reassert themselves on the pitch, inflicting two body blows on the current league leaders in such a short space of time would go a long way to helping them retain their title.

Of course, Hearts getting revenge could always go the other way and knock Celtic’s new-found confidence, but tomorrow’s game offers Rodgers a huge opportunity.