Tynecastle director addresses Hearts’ title challenge to Celtic with bold ‘financial’ claim

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All the talk since pretty much the start of the season has been about Hearts challenging Celtic for the Scottish Premiership.

Celtic face Hearts this afternoon in the lunchtime kick-off in a highly anticipated clash at Tynecastle where Brendan Rodgers’ injury-ravaged side will look to close the gap to two points with a win.

The Hoops are without key players Cameron Carter-Vickers, Jota, Kelechi Iheanacho and possibly Alistair Johnston and Daizen Maeda.

With the top-of-the-table clash being the biggest game of the season so far, should Hearts beat Celtic then an eight point gap opens up at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.

And it seems that if that happens, Hearts’ title race is on, according to Tynecastle director James Anderson.

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Hearts director James Anderson’s two bold Celtic title claims

Hearts are bullish right now and appear to be confident of pushing Celtic all the way this season. And so does director James Anderson.

Anderson told the Sunday Mail, “I think our opportunities are great, this is about a structural addressing of where Hearts can get to.

“For heaven’s sake, if a town with less than 1500 inhabitants in Sweden can win the league…

“I am an international comparisons person so look at AZ Alkmaar, Union Berlin, Villarreal, Atalanta.

“If I look at the financial advantages [of Celtic and Rangers] I don’t find the gulf insuperable.

“The economics of Brighton are remarkable compared to others in England.

“We ought to be able to do this in Edinburgh, in many ways a luckier and richer city than Glasgow.”

Hearts’ next three Scottish Premiership fixtures compared to Celtic

After today’s game Celtic and Hearts have a crucial run of fixtures coming up with the title race still on.

Celtic’s fixtures are as follows:

• Wednesday 29th October: Celtic vs Falkirk
• Sunday 9th November: Celtic vs Kilmarnock
• Saturday 22nd November: St Mirren vs Celtic

And as for Hearts:

• Wednesday 29th October: St. Mirren vs Hearts
• Saturday 1st November: Hearts vs Dundee
• Sunday 9th November: Hearts vs Dundee United

With Hearts having the toughest of the six games, a win today would pile the pressure onto Derek McInnes and his team heading into November.