Celtic vs Hearts – Match preview and team news | OneFootball

Celtic are set to face Hearts in the final matchday of the Scottish Premiership on Sunday in an attempt to defend their league title.

Celtic are second in the table with 79 points while Hearts are leading the table with 80 points, meaning Martin O’Neill’s men must win this match to win the league.

Celtic vs Hearts – Match preview and team news

Celtic team news

Celtic remains without several players before the final-day Scottish Premiership title decider at Celtic Park.

Manager Martin O’Neill must navigate this crucial fixture without several players. Kasper Schmeichel is officially out for the rest of the campaign due to a shoulder injury, forcing Viljami Sinisalo to start.

Cameron Carter-Vickers remains sidelined with severe Achilles tendon issues. Jota is out long-term following an ACL tear, while Julian Araujo and Tomás Čvančara are both ruled out for the remainder of the season with thigh and groin injuries respectively.

Additionally, Colby Donovan is highly doubtful due to a hamstring injury despite returning to light training, and Callum Osmand lacks match fitness following major hamstring surgery.

Adam Montgomery is also sidelined until late May. The same XI that started the last match is expected to start this match as well.

Kelechi Iheanacho came off the bench and scored the winner last time around and might once again be used as a substitute if required.

Hearts team news

Hearts enter the title decider equally ravaged by injuries as manager Derek McInnes deals with a brutal squad depletion.

The team suffered a double blow in their previous match, losing both Craig Halkett and Marc Leonard to Achilles tendon ruptures.

Both players are out for the season, with Halkett facing up to a year on the sidelines. The defensive and midfield stability is further compromised with Oisin McEntee and Calem Nieuwenhof ruled out due to hamstring injuries.

Furthermore, Tómas Magnússon and Eduardo Ageu are completely unavailable as they recover from severe thigh and muscle issues.

In a minor positive note, goalkeeper Craig Gordon holds a slight external chance of making the bench. Finlay Pollock is also out.

With 15 goals and three assists in this season, Lawrence Shankland will once again start upfront and will look to confirm Hearts’ silverware.

Form

Celtic

Celtic enter the final-day decider in spectacular domestic form, boasting a flawless six-game winning streak in the Scottish Premiership.

In their most recent fixtures, the Bhoys secured a crucial victory against Motherwell in a dramatic 3-2 thriller, courtesy of a late penalty. Before that, they edged out Rangers 3-1 at home.

Hearts

Hearts have put together a phenomenal, record-breaking season under Derek McInnes, remaining completely unbeaten in their last seven matches. After a minor slip in a 1-1 draw at Motherwell, the Jambos bounced back emphatically in midweek with a commanding 3-0 win over Falkirk at Tynecastle. Holding a narrow lead at the top, they only need a single point at Parkhead to secure a historic league title.

Predicted lineups

Celtic: Sinisalo; Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Engels; Hyun-Jun, Nygren, Tounekti; Maeda

Hearts: Schwolow; Steinwender, Kent, Findlay, Milne; Kyziridis, Baningime, Devlin, Spittal; Shankland, Braga

How to watch Celtic vs Hearts?

For fans in the UK, the match will air live on Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main Event, and Sky Sports Ultra HDR.

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