Hearts vs Celtic live: League leaders face defending champions in Scottish Premiership title tussle | OneFootball

(Getty Images)

Hearts could take a huge step towards a first Scottish top-flight title since 1960 as they host Celtic in a top-of-the-table tussle.

Derek McInnes’s side have been impressive front-runners amid a chaotic season for both Celtic and Rangers, and could widen their lead to nine points over the defending champions with victory here. Recent injury problems have caused McInnes a headache or two but his team could become the first Hearts side to beat Celtic three times in a single league campaign.

Victory will not come easily, though, against a visiting team buoyed again by the return of Martin O’Neill as a caretaker. Strong form under O’Neill has kept Celtic in touch either side of Wilfried Nancy’s short stint in charge, but they can ill afford to lose ground here, particularly with Old Firm rivals Rangers again in the mix, too.

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Injury-hit Hearts require reinforcements

Both captain Lawrence Shankland and midfielder Cammy Devlin appear set for spells on the sidelines at Hearts, making the loan arrival of Marc Leonard timely. Like Cvancara, he starts this afternoon on debut - the Glaswegian came through the academy at Rangers, so may well rather relish the opposition today.

Beni Baningime is suspended, too.

Marc Leonard makes his Hearts debut today (Getty Images)

Tomas Cvancara thrown straight in

Tomas Cvancara only arrived from Borussia Monchengladbach on Thursday, but the new Celtic loan signing is utilised immediately by Martin O’Neill. The 25-year-old had been short of goals during a stint with Antalyaspor in Turkey during the first half of the season but should add something different to O’Neill’s existing options.

“I wouldn't want to put too much pressure on him - he's not just going to be the panacea for all our ills and woes,” O’Neill said. "Just let him get settled in, I think he'll make an impact, I hope he does.

"But, again, I just wouldn't want to be putting extreme pressure on him to solve all our problems.

"He's making the commitment, he wants to play well, he obviously wants to do well with us and maybe as a consequence he gets himself back into the Czech Republic team."

Tomas Cvancara is straight in for Celtic (Getty Images)

Derek McInnes says Hearts focussed on themselves ahead of keyc lash

Derek McInnes is focused only on what a Hearts win over Celtic would do for his own side’s title aspirations and not what damage it might do to the defending champions.

The Jambos have the chance to move nine points clear of the Hoops if they win today’s top-of-the-table showdown at Tynecastle.

While such a scenario would seemingly leave Celtic’s hopes of retaining the William Hill Premiership crown hanging by a thread, McInnes said: “We’re just concentrating on ourselves.

“If we can win the game, it would be significant for us because it’s a great reference point for us if we can go and beat Celtic again.

“Celtic have been the team to beat over the last wee while, and they’re still littered with good players, so any time you can beat a Celtic team, you take good confidence from it, and I think that’s exactly what we would do.

“There are still loads of points available, we’ve got a rough idea of what we think we need to get to, and hopefully we can start that off with another win on Sunday.”

McInnes’ side are top of the table (PA Wire)