The Celtic Star
·25 October 2025
Hearts v Celtic – Team news, referee details, KO & where to watch

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Yahoo sportsThe Celtic Star
·25 October 2025


Derek McInnes and Brendan Rodgers at Celtic Park on 7 August 2024. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership. Photo Getty Images.
Conversely Derek McInnes knows that a victory extends his side’s lead to eight points and will allow the Hearts supporters to start dreaming about a title win for the first time since 1986 when they came within eight minutes of winning the Scottish Premier league title.

Brendan Rodgers will be without Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles), Alistair Johnston (hamstring) and Kelechi Iheanacho (hamstring) with all three suffering injuries on Thursday night in the Europa League.

Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic on the ground with suspected injury at full-time. Final score Celtic 2 Sturm Graz 1. Celtic v Sturm Graz, UEFA Europa League, Group Stage, Celtic Park, 23 October 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock
Jota too is out for the longer term and there’s a slight chance that Daizen Maeda might be available for tomorrow but after the events on Thursday night the Celtic manager is likely to be ultra cautious with his Japanese talisman.

Daizen Maeda at Firhill. Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Hearts early exit from the League Cup, coupled with their lack of European football this season has clearly given Derek McInnes the advantage of being able to concentrate on the league campaign and he’s certainly made the most of it so far.

Auston Trusty of Celtic arrives at the stadium prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD3 match between Celtic FC and SK Sturm Graz at Celtic Park on October 23, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Rodgers pointed out yesterday, while speaking to Sky Sports that the three injuries provide opportunities for other players to stake their claim. The Celtic manager has to decide on Antony Ralston or Colby Donovan at right back, Auston Trusty or Dane Murray at right sided centre-half – Murray is right footed but Trusty while being left footed has played well in that position before, most notably against Atalanta in the Champions League in Bergamo.

Johnny Kenny of Celtic shoots at goal Celtic v Sturm Graz, UEFA Europa League, Group Stage, , Celtic Park – 23 Oct over 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock
And for the centre forward position it’s almost certain that Johnny Kenny will lead the line and that Shin Yamada will return to the match-day squad to take a seat on the Celtic bench.
It’s likely that Rodgers will opt for experience at the back so will go with Ralston and Trusty.
Three enforced changes from the Celtic side that started against SK Sturm Graz on Thursday night…

Celtic starting eleven team group, before kick off. Celtic v Sturm Graz, UEFA Europa League, Group Stage, Celtic Park, 23 October 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock
Subs: Sinisalo, Saracchi, Murray, Donovan, McCowan, Bernardo, Balikwisha, Shin, Forrest, Yang.

Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 14 May 2025. Referee Steven McLean. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Steven McLean has the whistle and he will assisted by Graeme Stewart and David Roome while Andrew Dallas and David Dickson completes the set and no prizes for guessing the team the majority of that lot support. Celtic will have to win this one the hard way.
Just like last weekend at Dens Park it’s a mid-day kickoff at Tynecastle for the Hearts v Celtic match in the Scottish Premiership.

Brendan Rodgers talking to Sky Sports. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star).
The game is live on both the Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football channels with the build-up starting at 11am. The game will also be streamed live by Celtic TV to subscribers outside of Britain and Ireland and there will be a full play-back later in the day on the club’s own channel for all subscribers. Highlights will be show on Sunday evening on BBC Sportscene and there will also be radio commentary on BBC Sportsound.

Reo Hatate in action. Partick Thistle v Celtic. Premier Sports League Cup. Sunday 21 September. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)
Celtic to deservedly edge a tight match by 2-1 with the goals coming from Hatate and Kenny.
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Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star
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