Hearts 3 – 1 Celtic

Hearts showed they might just be title contenders as they stunned Celtic to move eight points clear at the top of the Premiership.

The Jambos were unbeaten ahead of the much-anticipated clash while the Hoops were looking to avoid back-to-back league defeats.

Dane Murray, in for the injured Cameron Carter-Vickers, gifted the hosts an early opener with a nightmare own-goal, only for Callum McGregor to slam in an equaliser in a frantic first-half.

Derek McInnes’ side were dominant and Alex Kyziridis restored their lead as the deafening chant of “we shall not be moved” rang around Tynecastle Park.

Murray’s afternoon went from bad to worse when he brought down Claudio Braga in the box – up stepped captain Lawrence Shankland to fire in from the penalty spot to put the game out of reach.

Celtic could not manage a response, with many now wondering if the Old Firm’s 40-year title dominance really is under threat.

Hearts ask questions Celtic can’t answer

McInnes had urged the Hearts support to make Tynecastle as “hostile and noisy as possible” and he would have been delighted with the way his side started amid a pumped-up atmosphere.

With Celtic looking rattled in the opening exchanges, the hosts made their early superiority count in the eighth minute.

Stephen Kingsley’s cross from the left was nodded back in by Shankland for Claudio Braga, whose header was clawed on to the post by Kasper Schmeichel.

The ball broke to Shankland on the right of the six-yard box and the Hearts captain drove it across goal where Murray, just a yard out, sliced his attempted clearance into his own net.

The hosts were unable to turn the screw, however, and Celtic levelled with a well-worked goal four minutes later. Kieran Tierney overlapped Sebastian Tounekti in the box and and his low delivery was guided into the bottom corner by McGregor from just outside the six-yard box.

Having stemmed the early flow, the champions started to enjoy a period of control, although they were fortunate to avoid falling behind again just after the half hour when Murray’s clearance ricocheted off team-mate Donovan and ran just wide of Schmeichel’s left-hand post.

Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow had to make a big save in the 38th minute to deny Benjamin Nygren from close range.

But the hosts regained the initiative in the 52nd minute when Kyziridis cut in from the left, evaded Nygren and drilled a low right-footed shot from the edge of the box beyond Schmeichel, who was furious at the lack of pressure on the ball.

Just two minutes later, Hearts were presented with a chance to stretch their lead when they were awarded a penalty after Braga ran on to a Shankland pass and was bundled over in the box by Murray.

Shankland kept his cool to score as buoyant Hearts closed out victory in impressive fashion.

McInnes refusing to get carried away

Hearts head coach Derek McInnes on Sky Sports:

“We take the three points and we stick them in the pocket and we’re pleased with that. But I think in terms of belief and confidence, I think it does us no harm.

“I don’t think it’s a statement win. It might be for others on the outside looking in. It might change opinions. It might validate opinions that there’s a tightrope.

“I genuinely think that, and I’ll stick to it, the fact that once you go round a couple of round of fixtures, I think it’s far more sensible to have any real assumption of where teams are going to be.

“But let’s not kid ourselves, we’re really pleased with what the lads they’ve given us.

“I thought it was a strong performance we needed to be. I thought it was a polished performance, we needed to have a wee bit of polish on it.

“Technically, we look in a good place, and certainly physically we look in a good place, so long may that continue.”

Naturally, it’s not a position that this club is used to being in.

Rodgers calls for ‘perspective’

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers on Sky Sports:

“I think the perspective on it is that we know the challenges, but we still have 29 games to play after today.

“The day that counts is the last game in May.

“We haven’t made the start that we want, but we have to keep believing and keep working with these players to maximise what we can get out of them.”

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