7 pundits predict Celtic vs Hearts with one decisive factor identified | Football | Sport
Celtic host Hearts on Saturday in a Scottish Premiership final day decider (Image: Getty)
The Scottish Premiership title will be decided on Saturday afternoon as leaders Hearts travel to play Celtic. Ahead of this momentous clash, pundits can’t agree on a winner.
In what has been a Premiership season for the ages, Hearts have mounted a valiant and unprecedented title challenge. The last time a team that wasn’t named Rangers or Celtic won the Scottish top flight was in 1985, when Aberdeen won back-to-back crowns. While Rangers’ four-game losing streak has them out of contention, Martin O’Neill’s Bhoys simply have to beat Derek McInnes’s side on the final to quite literally break hearts after the midweek VAR controversy. Pundits have had their say ahead of one of the most-hotly anticipated Scottish football matches in a long time.
Ally McCoist – On the fence
McCoist is a Rangers legend and could not pick a winner between Celtic and Hearts, pointing out that, amid the VAR chaos, McInnes’s men can feel especially hard done by. Celtic were awarded a highly controversial 99th-minute penalty for handball against Motherwell, which was converted, meaning they are now just a point behind Hearts.
“I’m not so sure [that Celtic have the momentum] to tell you the truth,” he told talkSPORT Bet. “I think both Celtic and Hearts have good momentum after some good results. I think obviously Hearts were harshly done by themselves in the last couple of minutes against Motherwell at Fir Park when they should have been given a penalty.
“I think certainly Celtic have got a certain degree of momentum, yes. But I wouldn’t say that all the momentum’s with them, to be honest with you. I think it’s pretty much as we see it, everything to play for.”
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McCoist couldn’t pick a side (Image: Getty)
Kris Boyd – Celtic
Boyd told the Scottish Sun: “I don’t expect anything else except a Celtic victory on Saturday. If it’s a full house at Celtic Park, Hearts have picked up a few injuries to key players.”
Pat Nevin – Celtic
While Nevin did not explicitly throw all of his weight behind Celtic, he did explain that the atmosphere at Celtic Park will almost certainly give the home side a decisive edge. He told the BBC: “Getting rid of the toxicity at Celtic Park has been immense.
“Celtic Park is an incredibly hard place to play when there is that noise and it’s back.” The former Scotland winger also claims that he thinks Hearts head coach McInnes “must be getting worried about the amount of injuries.”
Boyd and Nevin are backing Celtic (Image: Getty)
Andy Halliday – On the fence
Motherwell ace Andy Halliday played for both Rangers and Hearts, but could not select a side to come out on top when his former team plays Celtic on Saturday. He said: “Celtic are on a five-game winning run.
“You talk about mentality and playing your best level at the right time and Celtic have hit theirs now. But Hearts, for 30 weeks in a row now, are just finding ways to win, so it’s going to be a very interesting finish.”
Ryan Stevenson – Hearts
Ex-Hearts man Ryan Stevenson is understandably backing his former side, insisting the game won’t be the easy contest some Celtic faithful believe it will be. He told the Record: “I’ve heard some Celtic fans say that Fir Park was going to be their hardest game. ‘Once we get Hearts back to Celtic Park, we’ll steamroll them.’
“But you’ve got to remember, these are the same Celtic players that have buckled under pressure before. And they buckled the other night. Without that penalty call, they’d have dropped points at Fir Park. So this will not be the stroll Celtic fans think it will be. If Hearts turn up as they have done all season, they’ll come out as champions.”
Halliday currently plays for Motherwell (Image: Getty)
Andy Murray – Celtic
While not a pundit per se, Hibernian fan Murray was controversially vocal earlier this year, saying he had previously thought Hearts would win the league title.
Discussing this original choice with the BBC, he said: “A few of my friends who are Hibs fans have questioned me on it. I would say it is quite split between my friends who are Hibs fans, to be honest.
“I still stand by what I said. If it was going to be Celtic or Rangers that were going to win this league, I don’t think you would be asking me that question. I think there is a lot more interest in Scottish football than there has been in quite a long time.”
But when pushed for a league winner after Celtic beat Motherwell, British tennis legend Murray changed his mind and said: “I think it is going to be Celtic now.”
Hibs fan Murray has changed his tune (Image: Getty)
Chris Sutton – Celtic
Former Celtic man Sutton just about leans in his old side’s direction, echoing the argument that the home advantage will be decisive. He told Sky Sports: “Celtic have just somehow clung on to it. Under Martin O’Neill, they have just shown the spirit and resilience.
“Now going into the final game, Celtic at home, there’s supposed harmony now in there at Celtic Park and that may carry weight. But there could yet be another twist and turn and it’ll be absolutely epic on Saturday.
“For a long while now, I’ve thought that Celtic are not going to find a way and they’ve got to this point. But I wouldn’t rule Hearts out.”
