Derek McInnes Prepares Hearts For Final-Day Showdown With Celtic At Celtic Park

Derek McInnes is preparing Heart of Midlothian for a final-day showdown at Celtic Park that could deliver their first league title in 66 years, with a win or draw enough to clinch the historic moment.

“- Nobody other than Celtic or Rangers have won the league since Aberdeen in 1985 - This season, Hearts have led the league since September, leaving their long-suffering fans to dream that, finally, this is their moment LONDON: The destination of Scotland’s Premiership title will be decided at Parkhead on Saturday when Celtic need victory to become champions for the 56th time while Hearts will take the crown for the first time in 66 years and fifth in all if they win or draw”

Arab News

McInnes said the decision-making around playing for a draw “comes into it maybe later on in the game,” adding that “the three points were the most important part of it.”

BBC

Hearts’ preparation included a final training session at Tynecastle Park before heading west in the early afternoon to stay in a hotel, and McInnes said he wants messaging to remain normal rather than scripted.

The Independent framed the atmosphere as a “lion’s den” for Hearts, describing a pocket of around 750 away fans at Celtic Park and saying Celtic are backed by a home crowd of 60,000.

BBC Sport set the stakes for the decider, saying Hearts can be champions of Scotland for the first time since 1960 if they avoid defeat.

Celtic set up the title showdown with Hearts after a 3-2 victory away at Motherwell at Fir Park, with Kelechi Iheanacho converting a 95th-minute penalty to seal the result.

The World Football Index described the match as “chaos, tension, and late heartbreak,” with Motherwell taking an early lead through Elliot Watt and Celtic equalising through Daizen Maeda before Benjamin Nygren put Celtic ahead in the 58th minute.

BBC

Deep into stoppage time, referee John Beaton pointed to the spot after Sam Nicholson was adjudged to have handled the ball while attempting to head clear inside the box, and Iheanacho dispatched the spot-kick in the 95th minute.

The Independent said McInnes called the swing in the race “disgusting,” quoting him on the penalty timing: “I heard there was a 96th-minute penalty… I didn’t need to ask who for.”

BBC Sport also quoted McInnes describing the atmosphere as “Pure box office,” as the 12:30 BST kick-off at Celtic Park approaches.

With the Scottish Premiership title on the line at Parkhead on Saturday, the Arab News preview said Celtic need victory to become champions for the 56th time while Hearts will take the crown for the first time in 66 years and fifth in all if they win or draw.

“- Published "It will be bedlam," said Derek McInnes as he prepares to take Hearts to Celtic Park for the final-day decider in the Scottish Premiership”

BBC

BBC Sport said Celtic must win to defend their crown and make it five-in-a-row, while it also noted that the Edinburgh side have a one-point lead after 37 games and have been out in front since September.

The Independent reported that Hearts’ captain Lawrence Shankland called it “a 90-minute cup final,” adding, “If you offered us that at the start of the season we would have taken it all day.”

BBC Sport’s form guide said Celtic have momentum with a seventh successive league victory in sight, while it also stated that Hearts have been less sure on their travels, losing five and drawing four.

BBC Sport also set the historical frame, saying Celtic are going for a 14th title in 15 years and Hearts have been waiting 66 years since their fourth triumph.