Celtic host Hearts at Parkhead in a blockbuster Scottish Premiership clash, with the hosts able to open a four-point gap at the top of the table with victory.
Rangers' 2-2 draw at Dundee last night means Martin O'Neill's side can move four points clear at the summit with a win, offering some welcome respite for the veteran boss after a tough few weeks.
Hearts, under new manager Wouter Vrancken, are the league's top scorers and a win would put them right on the coattails of the top two.
Last Season's Dramatic Finale
The last time these two faced each other, the Premiership title was on the line and it produced the most dramatic end to a season in a generation. Celtic just managed to get the job done to claim a fifth crown on the spin.
Hearts fell just short and made a hasty exit from Parkhead still in their kit as fans invaded the pitch to celebrate. Derek McInnes's Jambos had led the league for the majority of the season, spending a whopping 250 days at the top.
They had only needed a point at Parkhead and were in that position until Daizen Maeda scored in the 87th minute and Callum Osmond clinched it for Celtic with the final kick of the ball, sparking a massive pitch invasion.
New Era for Hearts
The fallout from that is still rumbling on, but this is a new season and a new Tynecastle team that rolls into the East End. Wouter Vrancken replaced Derek McInnes in the summer and is doing things his way.
Emotional Claudio Braga and his dejected Hearts team trooped out of Celtic Park last season, their dream cruelly ripped from their grasp in the final minutes. It was a cruel and devastating way for their season to come to an end, and it took some time to get over – as the 66-year wait for Hearts to be crowned champions goes on.
Braga admitted that they must park the previous Parkhead pain because they can't let emotions get the better of them this time.
Osmand Expects Another Three-Horse Race
Callum Osmand shattered Hearts with an iconic title-clinching goal in that dramatic final day finale. The ex-Fulham kid etched his name into Parkhead folklore by racing forward from his own half to slot the ball into an empty net.
The 20-year-old reckons the Jambos have what it takes to push Celtic all the way again this season, expecting another three-horse title race.
Both teams were in European action in midweek, with the hosts suffering a heavy loss to Benfica while the visitors were denied a big three points late on by Nordsjaelland.
O'Neill Praises Hearts' Plan
Martin O'Neill admits he's been impressed by Tony Bloom's 10-year Hearts masterplan. He said: "I think their recruitment is really good. They've got a certain system in place at this minute, which has been used down at Brighton. They used it there and they're scouring the European scene for these kind of things."
Goals are predicted this afternoon and we'll have all the build-up, action and reaction LIVE from Celtic Park.
