All the chat surrounding the title race between Celtic, Rangers and Hearts has been about the rise of the Tynecastle club.
Tony Bloom sent Celtic and Rangers a warning at the start of the season as he said his aim was for Hearts to be challenging for the Scottish Premiership title within the next ten years.
That prediction has come a bit earlier than Bloom would have thought, but if the Hearts shareholder is completely honest with himself, their rise is partly down to the decline in standards at Celtic and Rangers.
So with Celtic still six points behind Hearts in the Scottish Premiership table, who does Martin O’Neill make favourites for the title?
- READ MORE: BBC pundit blanks Celtic with Hearts title prediction that looks a little bit foolish now
Will we hunt Hearts down and win the title?
Celtic boss Martin O’Neill admits Hearts are favourites to win the league
Now, we reckon O’Neill is at the mind games here. Take the title pressure off Celtic and pile it all on McInnes’ Hearts.
In an interview with Chris Sutton, the Hoops boss was candid with who he thinks are the favourites to win the league.
Sutton asked O’Neill on Sky Sports, “What is your view on on the title race this year? Hearts favourites?”
O’Neill replied, “At this stage of the season? With the games running down you would have to say absolutely.
“Let me put it this way, I’d like to be six points clear.”
O’Neill says Celtic’s new signings ‘have to be enough’ to put up a title fight
Sutton pressed on whether or not the players O’Neill brought in on transfer deadline day will be enough to see the title over the line.
Sutton asked, “Is your feeling now with the players who have been brought in, that this squad is capable of going on a run of eight, nine, 10 games.”
O’Neill said, “Yeah. Well let me put it this way. It has to be. It has to be.
“You know, there’s no other shortcut for it. It has to be.”
Fans need to wait a few more days to see the new signings after Celtic’s game against Aberdeen was postponed tonight.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
