Hearts One Win From First Scottish Premiership Title In 66 Years After Falkirk Match

Hearts stand one win from their first Scottish Premiership title in 66 years as they lead Celtic by a single point with two games remaining, with the title race potentially decided as early as Wednesday night.

Hearts face Falkirk at Tynecastle while Celtic travel to Motherwell, and if Hearts win and Celtic lose the trophy returns to Gorgie for the first time since 1960.

BBC

Hearts manager Derek McInnes said, "I believe and have believed for a while we have a team that is capable of winning the league," and he described the Falkirk match as "a final for us."

Celtic come into Wednesday's match having won six consecutive games in all competitions, including a 3-1 victory over Rangers on Sunday, and Benjamin Nygren credited the team's hunger: "We chase the opponents down every game."

Derek McInnes told his Hearts team to forget the Gorgie whispers and proceed on the basis that their title fight with Celtic will go to the final day, with the table-toppers taking on Falkirk at Tynecastle tonight.

McInnes said, "Personally, I am presuming Celtic are going to win the game," and he added, "My only focus is Falkirk to be honest."

BBC

The BBC framed the bottom-line condition for Hearts as needing to beat Falkirk at Tynecastle and have Celtic lose to Motherwell at Fir Park, while noting that "Few can see it turning out this way."

The BBC also described the weight of history around the moment, saying Hearts may be crowned champions on Wednesday "after 66 years" but that a slip could mean "it could be curtains."

The Daily Record reported that a deflating draw at Motherwell on Saturday night cost Hearts league leaders Craig Halkett and Marc Leonard, who were stretchered off after suffering serious Achilles tendon tears.

“For Heart of Midlothian, the tantalising, scarcely-believable, bottom line is this: after 66 years they may be crowned champions of Scotland on Wednesday”

BBC

McInnes said both players "They’ll be out for seven to nine months," and he described the injuries as "a ruptured Achilles for both, so its significant injuries."

The BBC said Hearts have arrived at this point after 36 games played and 3,240 minutes across 10 months, with table toppers since September, and it warned that Hearts could be punished if they have "one slip of their own" against Jens Berthel Askou's side.

With the title race set to be decided by Saturday evening at the latest, upday News said, "One way or another, Hearts' 66-year wait for a league championship could finally end," while the BBC stressed that Hearts must overcome Celtic and the "weight of history."