Home SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP Hearts Prepare for Celtic Showdown as Premiership Title Race Goes to Wire

Hearts Prepare for Celtic Showdown as Premiership Title Race Goes to Wire

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Derek McInnes
McInnes braces Hearts for final-day title clash at Celtic Park

Hearts lead Celtic by one point in the Scottish Premiership with two games left. A win over Falkirk could secure the title Wednesday, or it will be decided at Celtic Park on the final day.


Hearts can clinch the league against Falkirk if Motherwell beat Celtic. Otherwise, it goes to a final-day shootout in Glasgow...


Hearts boss Derek McInnes says he’s preparing for a title decider at Celtic Park on the final day, even though his team could clinch the Scottish Premiership as early as Wednesday.


Edinburgh’s side sit a point above Celtic at the top of the table and need four points from their remaining two fixtures to secure what would be one of the biggest shocks in Scottish football history.


A win against Falkirk at Tynecastle would hand Hearts the title on Wednesday if Motherwell, in fourth, defeat Martin O’Neill’s Celtic. If not, the championship will go down to Saturday’s clash in Glasgow.


Hearts haven’t lifted the league since 1960. Since Aberdeen’s 1985 triumph under Alex Ferguson, only Rangers and Celtic have won the Scottish title.


“I've just assumed Celtic are going to win the game (against Motherwell), I've had it in my head that we're going to the last game and I'm prepared for that,” McInnes said on Tuesday.


“Listen, there are no easy games for anybody, nothing's straightforward. Motherwell are a more than capable team. They were fully committed against us, and I'm sure that'll be the same again against Celtic.”




McInnes said Wednesday’s team meeting would be solely about the Falkirk match, and he plans to tune out any talk about the title race.


“I have believed for a while that we've got a team capable of winning the league, just that unshakeable belief in what we're doing,” he said.


“We have been trying to hold off a couple of heavyweights for a long time now. We've managed to see off Rangers, and we've got to try and see off Celtic over the next two games.


"I think the facts show we're coping brilliantly. We've already broken a club record in terms of points tally, and we've got a Champions League qualifier already secured, but obviously we want to try and go one better now and win the league.”


Celtic, the defending champions who have claimed 13 of the last 14 Scottish titles, were five points behind Hearts after losing 2-0 at Dundee United in March.


Since then they’ve won six matches in a row across all competitions, including a 3-1 victory over Rangers in the Glasgow derby at the weekend.


O’Neill managed Celtic between 2000 and 2005, and is now back for a second stint in charge this season.


He came back in January to see out the campaign after Wilfried Nancy was sacked following an earlier interim period.


“Celtic Park on Sunday was just kind of reminiscent of my old days anyway, and that’s been great,” said the 74-year-old.


“But we've gone away from home, and we've won some big matches as well too, so just a combination of all of those things gives us a chance.”




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