Celtic’s meeting with Hearts is one of the most anticipated Scottish games in recent memory.
Brendan Rodgers’ side could fall eight points behind the Jambos if the result goes against them, after a dismal 2-0 defeat to Dundee last week.
Hearts, on the other hand, have won away at Ibrox and Rugby Park and beat Hibs in the Edinburgh Derby with an injury time winner.
The momentum is certainly with the home side then – but Celtic have won 13 out of the last 14 league titles. Rodgers is a formidable opponent for Derek McInnes.
Despite a 2-1 win against Sturm Graz, injuries to Kelechi Iheanacho and Alistair Johnston and Cameron Carter-Vickers have left Celtic weakened ahead of the tie – and Hugh Keevins can only see it going one way.
Hugh Keevins on Hearts vs Celtic
Celtic haven’t started games well this season – in ten out of fifteen fixtures this season, they have failed to score in the first-half.
Sunday’s atmosphere at Tynecastle is likely to create a sink-or-swim situation for the Hoops players – and Keevins can’t see it playing out well.
READ MORE: James Forrest reveals Brendan Rodgers ‘character’ speech before Celtic vs Sturm Graz
Celtic got a much-needed win on Thursday, as a Tomi Horvat opener was answered with a second-half turnaround thanks to Liam Scales and Benjamin Nygren.
But the injuries from the encounter have, in Keevins’ eyes, eradicated the positivity of the win.
He said on Clyde Superscoreboard: “The good of [Thursday] night has been taken away entirely by the loss of Carter-Vickers, Iheanacho and Johnston.
“I keep seeing in my mind: Tynecastle, 12 o’clock, Sunday, full house, every ticket sold, mayhem. And a Hearts team, now much better than Celtic.
“Wonderful balance in the central defence, right-footed centre back, left-footed centre-back, Halkett and Findlay. I see individual brilliance in Kyziridis and Braga, I see a formidable goalscorer in Lawrence Shankland.
“Everything about them. The momentum they have, the optimism. For all that Celtic were resolute on [Thursday] night, they were a goal down and toiling, and then they got two quick goals.
“And the good of that has been taken away, because they have been left severely disadvantaged for Sunday.”
Celtic’s record vs Hearts and Derek McInnes
McInnes has faced Celtic many times down the years, but this will be the first time that he has done so in charge of Hearts.
Due to their bottom-six finish, Hearts only faced the Hoops three times last season – they lost all three, including a 4-1 rout at Tynecastle.
For McInnes’ Kilmarnock last season, it was the same story. Four meetings and four wins for Rodgers’ men, by an aggregate score of 14-3.
It’s two trends that he will need to overturn if he is to overcome Celtic in Sunday’s showpiece fixture.
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