Celtic vs Hearts: Preview, predicted XI and betting tip

Aberdeen had the chance yesterday to go top of the league, albeit possibly only for 24 hours. However, they failed to do so after coming back from 2-0 down against Inverness to draw 2-2. So the table now shows that Aberdeen are joint top with Celtic with Celtic miles ahead on goal difference. But it also shows that Celtic have two games in hand.

Celtic have no fresh injury problems going into the game at Tynecastle. Charlie Mulgrew and Scott Brown both remain out long term, as does Saidy Janko. Leigh Griffiths has missed the last few games for Celtic with a calf problem but he is expected to be fit and ready to go now.

PREDICTED XI

 As ever, along the back it has to remain the same. It gives them the experience and the game time in order to get to know one another better and then (hopefully) perform better and more consistently. Just when you think they were looking much better in the game against St. Johnstone, they are then overturned by Motherwell.

The two holding midfielders should be Johansen and Bitton. Johansen is still yet to convince this season, and he may not even start given the good form of Callum McGregor. 

Along the front three, it’s almost impossible to predict. It is chop and change all the time here. Although Armstrong should be dropped in order to find some form again, he’s a favourite with Ronny and he’s expected to start alongside Forrest and Rogic. Commons could come in instead of Rogic. Scott Allan deserves to start games now, but for some reason he’s still missing out.

Up front sees the return of Celtic’s main man Leigh Griffiths. Ciftci has been starting the last few games and still hasn’t convinced many. He took his two goals well against St. Johnstone but then he was invisible against Motherwell. There’s no doubts about this one, when Griffiths is fit, Griffiths starts.

PREVIEW

Hearts haven’t beat Celtic in the last 5 fixtures between the two, having lost 4 and drawing 1. Celtic have won these 4 games with an aggregate score of 11-1.

In the last 5 meetings between both clubs, Celtic have kept 4 clean sheets, conceding just 1 in the 5 games. 

Looking even further into it, in the last 5 head to heads between both at Tynecastle, Celtic have won all 5 of them. The aggregate score is 18-2.

Celtic have played 8 donestic away games since the defeat to Aberdeen, and have won all 8 of them.

You have to go back to August 2014 to find the last time Celtic were beaten away from home domestically minus the Aberdeen game, where Inverness won 1-0.

BETTING TIP

Disappointing last time round with the Motherwell result. Don’t think anybody seen that coming. Onto today and tips are as below:

Celtic and over 2.5 goals at 5/4.

Griffiths to score 2 or more at 13/5.