Football is a funny old game, and the next set of post-split fixtures in the Scottish Premiership will prove it.
Celtic take on Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday, before Hearts and Rangers lock horns on Bank Holiday Monday, as this titanic three-way title battle adds another chapter to its dramatic story.
Amazingly enough, you have sections of the Celtic fanbase wanting Rangers to get a positive result against Hearts, but Hibs fans also don’t want to win their fixture, as Tam McManus explained.
The former Hibs midfielder stated that he knows for a ‘fact’ that there are lots of Hibees who don’t want their team taking any points from Martin O’Neill’s side.
“I was asked if I would want Hibs to beat Celtic at the weekend,” said McManus. “I said, ‘from a professional point of view and an ex-player, you would want to give your best.’
“But from a fan’s point of view, I don’t think there are a lot of Hibs supporters, in fact, I know there isn’t, who want Hibs to beat Celtic. They will feel that is going to give their greatest rivals a leg up to win the league.”
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Hibs fans don’t want to beat Celtic at Easter Road
What’s going to be interesting is the atmosphere at Easter Road. You know the opposition players will give it their all; they are professionals at the end of the day.
But by the sounds of it, Hibs fans aren’t going to make it hostile for a Celtic side that has been used to throwing up several questionable performances.
Remember, David Gray’s side beat Celtic last time out, so they have it in their locker.
But nobody wants to help out their bitter rivals, and if Celtic can score the opening goal in Edinburgh, then they only have themselves to blame if they drop points because of everything surrounding the match.
Nonetheless, this is what McManus told PLZ Soccer about how Hibs fans are feeling about this Celtic fixture.
“I was asked if I would want Hibs to beat Celtic at the weekend,” said McManus. “I said, ‘from a professional point of view and an ex-player, you would want to give your best.’
“But from a fan’s point of view, I don’t think there are a lot of Hibs supporters, in fact, I know there isn’t, who want Hibs to beat Celtic. They will feel that is going to give their greatest rivals a leg up to win the league.
“So, I don’t think there will be a lot of Hibs supporters disappointed if Celtic beat them at the weekend. It was made out that I was saying, ‘Hibs would lie down to Celtic’, which I don’t think they will. I don’t expect them to. They shouldn’t be lying down to Celtic.
“But they will go out, play the game, and whatever the result is, the result is. I am sure every Hibs player will be giving their all against Celtic.”
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