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Celtic will take on Hearts on Saturday in what promises to be one of the biggest and best football matches in the Scottish Premiership and the Scottish football history as a whole.
Only twice before have the top two gone head-to-head on the final day of the season with the title on the line, and for Celtic, it's a first.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Celtic vs Hearts key stats
- Three or more goals have been scored in four of the last five matches played by Celtic.
- Celtic have won their last four matches at Celtic Park (three of these matches have ended 3-1).
- Hearts' only away win since January was against nine-man Hibernian.
- Daizen Maeda has scored seven goals in Celtic's last five matches in all competitions.
Celtic vs Hearts preview: Jambos to fall at the final hurdle?
Celtic vs Hearts — Tale of the Tape
| Celtic | vs | Hearts |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd | Position | 1st |
| 79 | Points | 80 |
| 70 | Goals For | 66 |
| 40 | Goals Against | 31 |
| 17 | Clean Sheets | 13 |
| 2nd | Home / Away Rank | 3rd |
Scottish football is still recovering from the dramatic events on Wednesday night, which saw Celtic beat Motherwell via a 98th-minute penalty to keep their task far simpler this weekend.
The debate over whether VAR should have gotten involved or not at Fir Park will only go away if Celtic fail to beat Hearts on Saturday. Otherwise, it will remain a topic of football discussions for years to come.
In any case, Celtic players will put all of that turmoil behind them and focus on trying to win the final match of the season, which would secure them another title, their fifth in a row. Fail to win, and they will finish behind Hearts.
The hosts enter this match in great form, with six wins in a row in the Scottish Premiership. If we also count their win over St Mirren in the Scottish FA Cup semis after extra time, then Celtic are on a seven-game winning streak across all competitions.
Celtic will miss injured Colby Donovan, Tomas Cvancara, Julian Araujo, Kasper Schmeichel, Jota, Adam Montgomery, and Cameron Carter-Vickers. On the bright side, Daizen Maeda has been sensational lately, scoring in each of the team's last five fixtures in all competitions.
On the other side, Hearts are trying to do something that we last saw back in 1985 when Aberdeen became the last Scottish champions other than Celtic or Rangers, managed by Sir Alex Ferguson. Coincidentally, Celtic won the title next season in the last round ahead of Hearts, on goal difference, after Hearts lost to Dundee.
In addition to the heartbreak we mentioned above, Hearts had another similar disappointment on the final matchday of the season in 1965, when they lost 2-0 to Kilmarnock in the final round, who became champions ahead of Hearts thanks to a better goal average.
Still, Hearts remain one of the most successful Scottish teams behind the Glasgow giants, with four titles in their trophy cabinet, but the last time they were crowned champions was all the way back in 1960.
Hearts enter the final game unbeaten in their last seven league matches. Their away form has been a bit shaky lately, with two draws in their last three road games, which could be the deciding factor on Saturday.
The guests are also dealing with more than a few injuries, with Craig Gordon, Marc Leonard, Calem Nieuwenhof, Craig Halkett, Oisin McEntee, Tomas Magnusson, and Ageu all out with injuries. That being said, Lawrence Shankland and Claudio Braga, who are responsible for 29 of Hearts' 66 goals this season, are ready for the final showdown.
Celtic vs Rangers form guide & betting tips
| Celtic | vs | Hearts |
|---|---|---|
WWWWW |
Form | WWWDW |
| 15 | Points | 13 |
| 1st | Form Table | 2nd |
| 12 | Goals For | 11 |
| 5 | Goals Against | 4 |
WWWWW |
Form (All Comps) | WWW DW |
Whispers predicts: Celtic 3-1 Hearts
Given the high stakes of this game, we expect both teams to give all that they have and in the case of these two teams, that should mean plenty of goals. Over 3.5 total goals is our preferred choice due to enticing 11/8 odds, but if you want to play it safe, even over 2.5 total goals is nicely priced at 7/12 odds. Both teams to score, which came in four of the last five meetings between Celtic and Hearts, is priced at 13/20.
We also suggest backing Daizen Maeda to score at any time at 8/5 odds. Maeda is one of Celtic's top scorers this season and he's been particularly on fire lately, with six goals in the last four league matches.
Finally, we do expect the hosts to secure a win and the title. They are in great form and they will play in front of an electric crowd, so Celtic to win at 8/13 odds sounds like a smart bet.
Over 3.5 total goals at 11/8 | Likelihood: Probable
Both teams to score – yes at 13/20 | Likelihood: Probable
Celtic to win at 8/13 | Likelihood: Probable
Daizen Maeda anytime scorer at 8/5 | Likelihood: Possible
Correct score 3-1 at 12/1 | Likelihood: Outsider