The Scottish Premiership title race comes down to the wire this Sunday as Celtic host Hearts in a winner-takes-all showdown at Celtic Park. With just one point separating the two sides—Celtic sitting second on 79 points, trailing leaders Hearts on 80—Martin O'Neill's men must secure victory to clinch the league crown.
Celtic enter this decisive fixture on a hot streak, having won their last six league matches. Their most recent outing saw them edge Motherwell 3-2 in a dramatic contest, sealed by a late penalty. Before that, they delivered an impressive 3-1 victory over Rangers at home, showcasing their resilience when it matters most.
However, the Hoops face significant injury challenges ahead of this crucial clash. Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel is ruled out for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury, paving the way for Viljami Sinisalo to start between the posts. Cameron Carter-Vickers remains sidelined with a serious Achilles issue, while Jota is out long-term due to an ACL injury. Julian Araujo and Tomás Čvančara are both done for the campaign with thigh and groin problems respectively.
Colby Donovan is a doubt with a hamstring complaint despite returning to light training, and Callum Osmand is not yet fully match fit after undergoing major hamstring surgery. Adam Montgomery is also expected to miss out until late May. Given these absences, Celtic are likely to stick with the same starting lineup that featured in their last match.
One bright spot is Kelechi Iheanacho, who scored the winning goal after coming off the bench last time out. The Nigerian striker could again be used as an impact substitute to change the game in the final stages.
Possible Celtic Starting XI: Sinisalo; Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Engels; Hyun-Jun, Nygren, Tounekti; Maeda
The match kicks off at 8pm BST on Saturday, 16th May, and will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main Event, and Sky Sports Ultra HDR. For fans gearing up for this title decider, it's the perfect time to rep your team's colors with the latest Celtic gear—available now in our collection.