Our prediction for this Scottish Premiership match:
Celtic
Match Time & Date:
16/12/2023
16:00
Prediction: 2-1
Hearts
Celtic will look to recover from a shocking 2-1 loss to Kilmarnock when they take on Hearts in the Premiership round 18. The Hoops are leading the chase for the domestic trophy, but their bitter local rivals Rangers are breathing down their neck. The league leaders are eyeing their seventh home win of the process, but they will have to prove their worth on the field.
All Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, Liel Abada, and James McCarthy remain in the recovery room, while midfielder Tomoki Iwata limped off with injury in the Champions League win over Feyenoord. The Jambos, on the other hand, failed to impress in back-to-back defeats to Hearts and Aberdeen and seeing that Celtic will be fully focused on the Premiership in the remainder of the season, home win should be considered. Defender Jack Mackenzie should be the only absentee in the away team.
Highlighted Player (Joe Hart):
Joe Hart is an English goalkeeper who was born on 19 April, 1987. Following a three-year spell with Shrewsbury Town, Hart joined big-spending Manchester City in 2006. After ending his loan spell with with Birmingham City (2010), he returned to Man City and he has been playing for the Etihad Stadium outfit ever since.
Joe Hart earned his 63rd cap for England at the Euro 2016 finals, but he has yet to win a trophy at the major tournaments with the Three Lions. On the other hand, the 29-year-old goalkeeper has clinched two Premier League trophies with Manchester City (2011/2012, 2013/2014) and the FA Cup title in 2011.
Speaking of his individual honours, Joe Hart has won the Premier League Golden Glove award on four occasions (2010/2011, 2011/2012, 2012/2013, 2014/2015). Hart made his England debut against Trinidad & Tobago on 1 June, 2008. It has to be noted that he managed to keep a clean sheet on his debut for the English national team.
Highlighted Team (Hearts):
Founded in 1874, Hearts are professional football club that compete in the Scotland Premiership. The Jam Tarts welcome their rivals at Tynecastle Park Gorgie, the stadium which can hold up to 20,000 spectators.
While the original Hearts strip was all white shirts and trousers with maroon trimmings, the club’s current home kit is all maroon with a white-collar. Hearts have won the Scottish Premier League title four times (1894/95, 1896/97, 1957/58, 1959/60), but they have been in Celtic and Rangers’ shadows in the 21st century. Hibernian are considered the club’s fiercest rivals. The two teams first met back in 1875 on Christmas Day, with Hearts winning the match 1-0. The Tynecastle Park Gorgie recorded their biggest win in 1880, with the team rolling over Anchor 21-0 in the FA Cup.
The club’s heaviest defeat came eight years later as Hearts were beaten by Vale of Leven 8-1 in the Scottish Cup. John Robertson is leading the club’s all-time goal-scoring chart, with the left winger netting 214 goals for the club.
Lazio 
Bologna 
Nice 
Strasbourg 
Athletic Bilbao
Real Sociedad 
