- Hearts Of Midlothian FC have the best start to a Premiership season, winning 22 points from 8 matches.
- Celtic FC have collected 17 points in 8 Premiership matches, 5 points behind Hearts.
Celtic face a tough Hearts test
Hearts Of Midlothian FC have won five straight Premiership games, starting with the 3-0 away win at Kilmarnock, followed by back-to-back home wins over Falkirk and Hibernian.
With 22 points from 8 games, Hearts sit top of the Premiership 2025/2026 table, five points ahead of 2nd-placed Celtic FC. With the title race heating up, Sunday’s game will be crucial for any Hearts Of Midlothian FC vs Celtic FC prediction.
Derek McInnes has developed a pragmatic, structured style that is perfect for this team and this club - they have been ruthless, results-driven and tough to break down, and are benefiting from the teamwork and defensive organisation.
McInnes’ ability to get players to stick to their roles in a structured system has been pivotal in Hearts’ rise to the top of the table, and the ability to turn the game into a set-piece game and counterattack is something that they have done well.
Claudio Braga is Hearts’ chief goal scorer in the Premiership with 5 goals in 8 games and is the most likely scorer in the absence of any other clear goal threat.
Celtic need to win
Brendan Rodgers’ men play a completely different type of soccer to Hearts. The Hearts Of Midlothian FC vs Celtic FC preview highlights that Celtic are all about possession, movement, high pressing and overloading the wide channels, whereas Hearts are about compactness and controlling the transitions.
Rodgers’ insistence on a high-tempo, pressing game has kept Celtic in the title picture. But there is a certain fragility in their results, winning just 1 of their last 5 in all competitions (2 draws, 2 defeats).
According to our Hearts Of Midlothian FC vs Celtic FC prediction, Benjamin Nygren is the most important Celtic player, providing 4 goals in 8 Premiership appearances, as well as 3 assists in their last 5 games. Nygren is the focal point of Celtic’s attack, and Celtic have scored 8 goals in their last 5 outings, so their attack is still dangerous.
Celtic are on a run of 1 win, 2 draws and 2 losses in all competitions, and Rodgers’ team will need to beat Hearts to keep in the championship race. But that won’t be easy, as they lost 2-0 away to Dundee FC in their most recent Premiership match.
A true top of the table clash
With Hearts on a hot streak, the bookmakers have made Celtic slight favorites at 2.12, while Hearts are 3.25 and the draw is 3.5. Celtic have won the last 3 matches between the clubs, including a 3-0 victory in Premiership 2024/2025, but their recent performances and results are not encouraging for this Hearts Of Midlothian FC vs Celtic FC prediction.
Celtic are more likely to come out on top in this fixture, but Hearts are very capable of making a game of it, especially on home turf. For those looking for Hearts Of Midlothian FC vs Celtic FC betting tips, Hearts are undefeated in 4 home league games, winning 3 and drawing 1, while Celtic have 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat in 4 Premiership away games.
Hearts have conceded just 3 times in 4 Premiership home matches, and with both teams scoring is priced at 1.62, it seems like a strong possibility that Hearts can exploit some of Celtic’s defensive vulnerabilities and cause a major upset.
Hearts and Celtic score an average of 1.5 and 2.0 goals respectively when Hearts are at home, so expect goals and a competitive game in this top-of-the-table matchup.
