Preview: Celtic vs Hearts - prediction, team news, lineups

Wilfried Nancy will kick off his tenure as Celtic manager on Sunday in a Scottish Premiership top-of-the-table clash at home to Hearts.

The visitors currently lead their hosts on goal difference at the summit of the division having played 15 matches to Celtic's 14.

Match preview

Celtic will begin life under the new management of Wilfried Nancy on Sunday in a bid to climb to the top of the Scottish Premiership after a strong run under the temporary stewardship of Martin O'Neill.

O'Neill returned to take the reins after Brendan Rodgers's exit in late October, with the Glasgow giants sat on 17 points from nine matches after a 3-1 away defeat to Hearts.

That left them eight points behind Sunday's visitors in the latest title defence, but the caretaker manager would inspire a major upturn in form, with the Bhoys having now won their last five top-flight outings, scoring 12 goals in those games under O'Neill and conceding just one.

His spell would culminate in a 1-0 midweek home victory over Dundee, with Daizen Maeda netting the only goal, stretching a winning run to five games in all competitions and six home matches.

Having since turned to Wilfried Nancy, who arrives with a solid foundation to build on, Celtic have the chance to go top of the table and three points clear with a sixth straight league win on Sunday in their bid for a fifth straight Scottish Premiership title and a 14th in 15 years.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head to Glasgow hoping to get their own title bid back on track having faltered in the last month.

Following the summer appointment of Derek McInnes, Hearts enjoyed an eye-catching start to the Scottish Premiership campaign, racing into a healthy lead by earning 29 points from their first 11 outings, winning nine and drawing two of those including October's 3-1 beating of Celtic.

The Edinburgh side have seen their momentum slowed since, though, failing to add another notch to their wins column in the last four attempts having firstly been held by Dundee United and suffered a first league defeat of the season away at Aberdeen.

A goalless stalemate away at Motherwell followed, before the Jambos hosted strugglers Kilmarnock on Tuesday and dropped points in disappointing fashion, being held to a 1-1 draw by Bruce Anderson's 90th-minute leveller after leading through Lawrence Shankland.

Now only leading second-placed Celtic on goal difference having played a game more, Hearts will hope to bounce back and make it back-to-back wins over the Bhoys to rebuild a lead and halt the hosts' relentless climb towards top spot.

Celtic Scottish Premiership form:

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Celtic form (all competitions):

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Hearts Scottish Premiership form:

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Team News

Fresh off his arrival, Wilfried Nancy should field a similar Celtic starting XI from their win over Dundee, although Marcelo Saracchi may miss out having been forced off in the first half of that game, likely joining defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston and forward Jota in the treatment room.

In Saracchi's likely absence, Kieran Tierney will come in on the left-hand side of a back four alongside Liam Scales, Auston Trusty and either Colby Donovan or Anthony Ralston.

Daizen Maeda should again get the nod in attack having scored in both of their league wins last week, while Arne Engels, Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate are bound to continue in a midfield trio.

Hearts continue to contend with several injury issues of their own, as Beni Baningime, Calem Nieuwenhof, Ageu and Finlay Pollock will remain sidelined.

Claudio Braga and Pierre Landry Kabore will compete to start up front alongside Lawrence Shankland, who scored his eighth league goal of the season in midweek.

Alexandros Kyziridis is another threat on the wing, while Tomas Bent Magnusson should again partner key man Cameron Devlin in the engine room.

Celtic possible starting lineup:

Schmeichel; Donovan, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; McCowan, Maeda, Yang

Hearts possible starting lineup:

Schwolow; McEntee, Kent, Findlay, Milne; Spittal, Magnusson, Devlin, Kyziridis; Kabore, Shankland

We say: Celtic 2-0 Hearts

Momentum has certainly swung at the top of the Scottish Premiership, and Hearts travel to Celtic Park at a bad time in their bid to stay at the summit.

With the visitors having seen their momentum halted, while the hosts are gaining steam and should feel a boost under new management, we back Celtic to come out on top and take first place at the weekend.

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