Rampant Hearts powered eight points clear of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership to bolster their early-season title credentials and deepen the malaise around Brendan Rodgers' side.
How excited are Hearts supporters after Sunday's win?
Image source, SNSHearts head coach Derek McInnes: "I enjoyed seeing my players work so hard for a result, we knew had to. We started the game brilliantly. That first 10 minutes was really assured, looked like a team who was ready for the game. We moved the ball side to side, had good control, arrived in good areas, plenty entries into the box and deservedly went in front.
"The early pressure we put Celtic under paid off, but then we knock off. The initial reaction from Celtic is everything you would expect. We should stop the goal at source. We're a bit dippy, not quite at it, and we were punished. From then on, I thought Celtic were the better side. Our press wasn't quite right. We needed to a be braver with out press.
"At half-time, we corrected a few things, spoke about the importance of doing a bit more and thankfully we did that. The second goal, it's a lovely finish from Alexandros Kyziridis but we work from left to right, right to left, engaged with our strikers, and worked it into an area where you want your players one-v-one on the edge of the box, and he's got the quality to get the goal.
"The third goal, the penalty, comes from striker play again. It's a bit more basic this time. Lawrence [Shankland] wins the flick, [Claudio] Braga runs behind and he's got the technical ability to invite the tackle. Lawrence tucks it away.
"What we have got here, you see how hard the players work, the togetherness. We've got that side. That's not always enough to win games week in, week out. What we have got, is good technical ability. You're seeing that from a lot of players who have been here previously. Some of the new signings are quite eager to demonstrate that.
"Every game, we've started with six or seven of the players who have been here previously. I said when I got the job, we've had good players here.
"We've got a good thing going at the minute, but it's only three points. It's important for us to keep winning, and I'm glad we've managed to do that.
"We're not being totally dependent on recruitment. Recruitment's massive and the ones who've come in, they've been specific helped us, but it's important to make the players feel good themselves. We've got good players here at Hearts and I'm just glad the lads are getting a chance to show that.
"We've got loads to do, loads to do. After the first two rounds of fixtures is normally an indication of where you are."
Andy Campbell
BBC Scotland
Image source, SNSRampant Hearts powered eight points clear of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership to bolster their early-season title credentials and deepen the malaise around Brendan Rodgers' side.
Alexandros Kyziridis' fine strike and Lawrence Shankland's penalty gave Derek McInnes' side a 3-1 lead that the reigning champions could not recover from.
Dane Murray - one of three youngsters in the Celtic XI - slashed into his own net early on to put Hearts ahead at a bouncing Tynecastle, and it was the 22-year-old's foul that led to the spot-kick.
Callum McGregor's classy first goal of the season had quickly cancelled out Hearts' opener, and Benjamin Nygren almost put Rodgers' team in front, opting for finesse over power and allowing Alexander Schwolow to save from close range.
But Derek McInnes' irrepressible Hearts seized control again to consign Celtic to successive league defeats for the first time since 2023.
Image source, SNSAgeu and Christian Borchgrevink both have a chance of being in the Hearts squad for the first time since August but Frankie Kent (knee), Ryan Fulton (groin) and Finlay Pollock (hamstring) are still missing.
Celtic have lost Cameron Carter-Vickers to an Achilles injury while Alistair Johnston, Kelechi Iheanacho and Daizen Maeda could miss out with hamstring problems. Long-term absentee Jota (knee) remains out.
Image source, SNSHearts' Harry Milne has created more chances from set plays (12) than any player in the Scottish Premiership this season. Meanwhile, no player has more assists in the competition so far than Milne's team-mate Alexandros Kyziridis (four, level with Dundee's Cameron Congreve).
After their 2-0 loss at Dundee, Celtic are looking to avoid back-to-back league defeats for the first time since December 2023 – when the second was against Hearts (2-0). Away from home, Celtic last suffered consecutive league defeats in May 2023.
Hearts have won four successive league games without conceding; the last non-Old Firm club to win five in a row without conceding in the Premiership were Aberdeen in April 2023, while Hearts last achieved this in the top flight in December 2010 – a run which included a 2-0 home win over Celtic.
This will be Celtic's first league meeting with a side starting the day top of the table since they beat Rangers 3-0 in February 2022. However, Celtic have lost their past four away league visits to sides starting the day top, including a 1-0 loss at Hearts in August 2018.
Hearts have lost 14 of their past 16 meetings with Celtic in all competitions, with the exceptions both 2-0 league wins in season 2023-24 (December and March).
Image source, SNSBrendan Rodgers says he "has enough to worry about at Celtic" and hasn't concerned himself with Tony Bloom's claim Hearts can challenge for second spot in the Scottish Premiership this season.
The Brighton owner bought a 29% non-voting stake in the club earlier this year and suggested the Tynecastle side have a "very good chance" of at least finishing second in the top flight this term.
So far Bloom's ambition has been vindicated with Derek McInnes' side sitting top of the table with seven wins from their first eight games. Plus, if they beat Celtic at Tynecastle on Sunday they'll go eight points clear of the Glasgow club.
When asked what he made of Bloom's suggestion of where Hearts can finish this term, Rodgers said he "never had any reaction".
"Tony's a clever guy," the Northern Irishman said.
"He's done fantastic in his life and business. I know Tony and Darren, his brother. I go way back to the time at Brighton when they were coming through the levels and they weren't even at their own ground. The job he did at Brighton is and has been amazing.
"He obviously has seen an opportunity at Hearts and will come in and look to add his expertise and knowledge and look to get them up there.
"Hearts are one of the biggest clubs up here and will want to be challenging, and being in European football.
"So I didn't think either way of it. I've got enough to worry about with Celtic."
Rodgers is expecting a tricky encounter on Sunday when his side travel to Edinburgh to take on a Hearts side who "deserve" to be top of the table.
"They've got a really good manager who knows what he wants from his teams in Derek," he added.
"He goes in there, he knows it's a big club, he knows they've got good players, and obviously they've made a really, really good start.
"It's still very, very early. I would expect us to get better as we move along. We've been so inconsistent and our goals and all that side of it hasn't been to where we want.
"Hearts, they've made a really, really good start and deserve to be where they are. They've got their points on the board and I think they'll be looking to challenge right the way through the season."
1976: Hearts and Celtic's seven-goal thriller
Chief executive Andrew McKinlay hopes Hearts can "put a marker down" against Celtic on Sunday. (Scotsman - subscription required), external
Winger James Forrest believes Celtic have the squad to overcome Scottish Premiership leaders and Sunday's hosts, Hearts. (Record), external
Defender Stuart Findlay and Hearts team-mate Craig Halkett have a friendly rivalry over goals, with the pair having notched nine between them so far this season. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external
Image source, SNSStuart Findlay admits Hearts' start to the season is more than he could have dreamed of when signing for the Edinburgh club this summer, but the centre-half has warned they face their "toughest test" yet when Celtic visit on Sunday.
The 30-year-old says "it is going to be a magnificent occasion" as the reigning champions arrive five points adrift of their hosts at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
"I heard the stadium has sold out, which is not a surprise as the fans have been absolutely outstanding," Findlay said. "It will be a spectacle for sure."
Findlay followed head coach Derek McInnes to Tynecastle from Kilmarnock.
"I came to this club knowing what the gaffer can do and what he did at Killie and that he would bring success to this football club," he said.
"We have not achieved anything as yet, but it's been better than I could have ever imagined.
"It maybe happened quicker than some people expected. It's been a fantastic start."
Findlay admitted his side go into the game full of confidence.
"I don't think in the history of Hearts they have gone into a game at Tynecastle and not expected to get a result," he said.
"There is a lot of talk around what's happening in the league just now, but it's another league game against the champions who in the last how many years have proved they are by far the biggest and best in the country on results.
"And we go into that game knowing we have to be at our very best, which thankfully we have been for most of this season."
However, Findlay dismissed claims of unrest at Celtic Park.
"It is a little unfair towards Celtic," he said. "They have lost one league game all season. They are not exactly in dire straits.
"We know it is going to be the toughest test that we've had. To say Celtic are vulnerable is a bit unfair - we are going to be playing a top side on Sunday.
"Of course I know we can go eight points clear, but there's another 29 games to come after that. We are not looking beyond trying to get a massive scalp."
'A lot of people envious of Hearts' - Derek McInnes
Hearts fans, we asked what you're hoping for from Sunday's top-of-the-table showdown against Celtic.
Here are some of your comments:
Alex: We have to take advantage of Celtic's many weaknesses right now and go for three points and make it an eight-point advantage, not five. Hearts are taking it one game at a time, showing the right focus and preparation, making the most of not having any League Cup or European distractions.
Artie: I'd settle for a draw and maintaining the five-point gap, but I also think that Celtic are there for the taking.
Ken: A draw would be acceptable but at least have a go and don't just defend.
Chris: We are conditioned in Scotland to know that Celtic or Rangers will always win the league, and that mentality always factors into your thought process when it comes to playing them. But now we have the strongest bench in Scottish football, we have the winning mentality and we have at least six captains in every starting 11 - a draw would be a good result for Celtic, not us.
Colin: Beating Celtic is a bonus, it is the performance that matters and will be examined and would expect this to prevent a gubbing. So a draw or a narrow defeat will be acceptable, as disappointing as it would be.
Neil: Hearts are playing so well just now that we really need to beat Celtic when we have the chance. Inevitably they will sort themselves out and go on a run so we need to get as far ahead if them while the going's good.
Tim: A draw would be a great result. Your hope is to win every game but maintaining the gap at the top would be fantastic.
Hearts midfielder Ageu is pushing for inclusion against Celtic on Sunday. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external
Image source, SNSHearts head coach Derek McInnes says the club's partnership with Jamestown Analytics to help with recruitment has been a "godsend".
The Tynecastle side are five points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership, unbeaten after eight league matches, and several summer signings have impressed in that run.
Claudio Braga is the top flight's joint leading goal scorer, while no player has more assists than Greek winger Alexandros Kyziridis.
McInnes highlighted the "smart and strategic" nature of Hearts' summer recruitment and believes the set-up will help the club to continue progressing.
"Our net spend is only a couple of hundred thousand," he said. "We sell James Penrice and we bring some players in, but the recruitment's been so smart and so strategic that we're not spending fortunes to get ourselves in the position.
"I'm confident with the way the club's set up that we'll continue to improve.
"Recruitment is the toughest part to get right. We feel with Jamestown, we have that real expertise. For that, it's been a godsend for me.
"I work closely with [sporting director] Graeme Jones. We speak every day and we're planning and looking at what we may need and what's available to us."
McInnes was also keen to highlight the importance of the core of longer-serving players such as Craig Halkett, Stephen Kingsley and Lawrence Shankland.
"A lot's been made of the recruitment and all the rest of it," he said. "But I think I need to say that half the team every week, more than half the team, is players that I inherited, players who were already in the building and are producing good form."
"These lads, among so many others, have been first class. There's good players here, I always thought there was good players."
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNSFalkirk boss John McGlynn admits his side have been dealt a "massive blow" as on-loan Hearts defender Lewis Neilson faces a potentially lengthy spell out with a "major" ankle injury.
The defender, who has made 12 apperances for the Bairns, picked up an issue towards the end of Saturday's 2-1 victory over Motherwell and McGlynn is looking at losing a third centre-back to injury - Coll Donaldson and Tom Lang have been sidelined since the start of the season.
"Lewis took an injury towards the end of the game and it's turned out to be quite a nasty one," the Falkirk boss said.
"So he's going to have to see a specialist on his ankle. It's not looking good.
"I think he's going to be out for some time, which is a massive blow because he's played every minute of every game, bar the game against Hearts when he couldn't play against his parent club.
"He's been exceptional. It's a massive blow for the boy and a massive blow for us because not only do we have Lewis out, we've got Coll Donaldson and Tom Lang out, so you've got three centre-backs out.
"As much as we've got cover, we're kind of running out of that cover, to be honest. [Left-back] Leon McCann didn't make the game last weekend and he's not going to make the game [against Dundee] this weekend, so we are kind of bare bones at the back.
"Tom and Coll have not kicked a ball for us [this season] and it's going to be Christmas before we probably see any one of the two of them, and Lewis is going to be similar. I don't know how long he'll be out but this is not three or four weeks, this is major.
"Everyone gets injuries, but we've had more than our fair share, that's for sure."
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
The euphoria from the Hearts fans in the sold-out away end at Rugby Park last weekend spoke volumes.
In every department on the pitch, there is a quality and a passion to this Hearts team that in previous years was maybe lacking.
With a clean sheet in their last four Premiership matches, it's now been 471 minutes since Derek McInnes' side conceded a league goal.
But it's not just their defending that has been exemplary. Hearts have scored in their past 12 Premiership matches - their longest run in over 10 years.
In their previous visit to Rugby Park in May Hearts had 11 shots on goal. On Saturday evening they had 19.
With every week that goes by, the expectation and hype grows. And on Sunday at Tynecastle the stage is set for what could be the game of the season. A buoyant and table-topping Hearts team taking on a wounded animal in Celtic.
While Tynecastle creates an atmosphere that is the envy of many clubs, this weekend should take it to another level.
It's such a big a game Tony Bloom will be in attendance in what will be only his second match at the stadium (his first was the opening-day win against Aberdeen).
Here is my question to Hearts fans - would you be happy with a point? Would even a narrow defeat be acceptable given the gulf there has been in recent years between the clubs?
Let us know your thoughts here.
Head coach Derek McInnes says Hearts will be ready to spend in the January transfer market even if Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom cannot plough any more cash into a title splurge because of European rules. (Daily Record), external
Former Hearts player Saulius Mikoliunas has backed Kazakhstan winger Islam Chesnokov to succeed in Scotland when he joins the Tynecastle club from Tobol at the end of the season in his homeland. (AS News via Edinburgh Evening News), external
Scottish Premiership top scorer Claudio Braga has hailed Hearts head coach Derek McInnes for helping him adapt to Scottish football after his summer transfer from Aalesunds and create a blossoming strike partnership with Lawrence Shankland. (Edinburgh Evening News), external
Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, SNSDerek McInnes' side are the surprise early Scottish Premiership leaders
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesJames Penrice moved from Hearts to AEK Athens this summer
Former Hearts left-back James Penrice says there is no reason why Derek McInnes' side cannot go on to challenge for the Scottish title this season.
The Tynecastle outfit are five points clear of reigning champions Celtic as they prepare to meet in Edinburgh on Sunday and Penrice thinks a sustained challenge is a real possibility.
"Definitely - I don't see why not," Penrice said as his current side, AEK Athens, prepare to face Aberdeen in the Conference League on Thursday.
"It's obviously not something that's happened in Scottish football for a while, but me knowing what's in the dressing-room there, they'll be more than up for it. But they probably won't say they're in a title challenge just now.
"But, if you look at the quality they've brought in, they have players performing at such a high level."
Celtic lost 2-0 to Dundee in the Premiership last weekend and Penrice says this week's match will be a guide to whether Hearts can be title challengers.
"Sunday is massive, but you never know - it's something we're not used to in Scottish football, but hopefully they do," he added.
"Hearts have been brilliant this season. [Hearts midfielder] Beni [Baningime] texted me last night to say 'look what happens when you leave'.
"They have been excellent. I've been watching the games when I can. They have a massive game on Sunday and I wish them the best in that."
David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSHearts manager Derek McInnes has been talking to the media before his side's Scottish Premiership clash against Celtic on Sunday.
Here are the best bits from his news conference:
McInnes says Celtic undoubtedly provide the toughest challenge in Scottish football, but insists Hearts are relishing that test and fully believes they can win.
He would have been delighted with the start Hearts have had were he offered it in the summer, but stresses there is a long way to go in the season and wants to maintain "good levels".
McInnes touched on "smart and strategic" recruitment with Hearts' net spend being "only a couple of hundred thousand". He thinks that model means the club will continue to improve.
He calls Jamestown Analytics' expertise a "godsend" and says he speaks to sporting director Graeme Jones on a daily basis.
McInnes "doesn't care" what form Celtic are in because of the "top players" throughout their squad.
There is confidence throughout the Hearts squad and McInnes says they aren't "dependent on one or two players".
Going eight points clear would be "good shooting", but he isn't looking any further than the game itself and says a defeat won't knock them off course.
McInnes thinks plenty of teams in Scotland are "envious" of Hearts and would love to "slap" them "back down to earth".
Team news: Ageu is back in training, as is Christian Borchgrevink, who played a bounce game on Tuesday. Ryan Fulton, Finlay Pollock and Frankie Kent are the three absentees.
Image source, SNSTwenty years ago to the day Hearts found themselves in a similar position to where they are just now - top of the table and unbeaten.
Manager George Burley had had a stunning start to his tenure, winning eight of the first 10 top-flight games, including a 4-0 derby victory over Hibernian, equalling a club record set in 1914 and cementing Hearts as genuine title challengers.
But in a sensational turn of events that shocked Scottish football, controversial owner Vladimiar Romanov sacked Burley, and then chief executive Phil Anderton just nine days later, with Hearts eventually finishing a distant second to Celtic before going on to win the Scottish Cup.
Former Hearts defender and manager Robbie Neilson describes Romanov's regime as "crazy" and "chaotic".
"You had no idea what was going to happen from one day to the next. There was a period where decisions were getting made over in Lithuania, even during the games they were phoning to say who was to come off and go on," Neilson told BBC's Sacked in the Morning podcast.
"It was difficult because there were so many players, but we stuck together. There were 63 players at one point in the first team. It was a crazy period.
"But although George was only there for a short period, he was really good at keeping people together.
"It was massive shock when he was sacked. We were at a pre-match meal and George hadn't turned up yet.
"We were having a laugh and it was a running joke that he had been sacked but as it went on, we started to think he maybe had been sacked.
"It was John McGlynn who had to come and tell us and at that point, a number of players had had enough, especially the guys he had brought in, and it took a nosedive from there.
"Football is chaotic at the best of times, but it was just wild with some of the stuff going on.
"It was a brilliant period in terms of the success of the club and the excitement and the drama that built before the games, then you could see it start to crumble before your eyes, and as it went on, it became worse and worse.
"We were in trouble before Romanov took over and we were in more trouble when he left but that period in between was a rollercoaster ride."
For more on Romanov's chaotic reign, listen to BBC Scotland's Czar of Hearts podcast series
Midfielder David Watson, whose Kilmarnock contract ends next summer, is keen on a move to Rangers, while the 20-year-old scores highly in Hearts' recruitment system and English Championship clubs are also watching his progress. (TeamTalk), external
Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has explained the "mad" and "vast" extent of Jamestown Analytics' scouting system, which rates every player who has played more than 3,000 minutes in every league in the world and helps the Scottish Premiership leaders fill the squad with high-rating players. (Open Goal), external
Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, SNSKilmarnock's David Watson is being linked with Hearts and Rangers
