Celtic vs Hearts: Live stream, team news, managers’ thoughts & highlights details for Scottish Premiership clash

Celtic maintained their nine-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 5-1 hammering of St Mirren at the weekend and the reigning champions return to league action against third-placed Hearts on Wednesday evening.

Ange Postecoglou’s Hoops have been in unstoppable form in recent months and are firmly on course to defend their title, having not lost to Scottish opposition at home since January 2021 (a 2-1 loss against St Mirren).

The Jambos are the visitors to Parkhead in midweek after solidifying their place behind the two Glasgow clubs with a comfortable 3-0 success at home to St Johnstone, courtesy of Josh Ginnelly’s brace and Jorge Grant’s strike to remain five points above their Edinburgh rivals Hibernian.

Celtic have been rampant in 2023, comfortably disposing of most teams in the league with the miminimum of fuss, but St Mirren briefly threatened to derail their progress in Paisley when Mark O’Hara’s spot-kick gave the Buddies a half-time lead. However, Celtic found the net on five occasions in the second half through five different players to secure all three points.

Hearts will provide another tough test as Robbie Neilson’s men look to build on three clean sheets in their last four away trips. They have only conceded 17 goals on their travels so far this campaign and will look to kick start the first of two meetings in four days against Celtic with a victory.

The two sides produced a seven-goal thriller when they met at Tynecastle back in October and there could be more drama in store on Wednesday.

We’ve gathered all the information you need on the match and how to tune in if you won’t be at Celtic Park...

Where is the game taking place & what time does the match kick-off?

Who: Celtic vs Hearts (Scottish Premiership)

Where: Parkhead, Glasgow

When: Wednesday, March 8th – kick-off 7.45pm (UK time)

Odds: Celtic 1/6 | Draw 13/2 | Hearts 14/1 (*Odds from Skybet.com correct at time of writing*)

How to watch on TV – Is there a live stream?

No, unfortunately the game will not be broadcast live. BBC Radio Scotland will provide live coverage on on 92 - 95 FM and 810 MW. Sportscene highlights will be aired at 11.25pm, while highlights will also pop up on Sky Sports News throughout the evening and following morning. Fans can also catch highlights on each of the clubs’ official YouTube channels.

There is no pay-per-view option available. Celtic TV international subscribers can stream the match. UK & Ireland subscribers can listen to live audio.

Who are the match officials

Referee Alan Muir is the man in the middle. He will be assisted by Calum Spence and Craig Ferguson, with Steven Kirkland named as the fourth official. Nick Walsh is in charge of VAR, assisted by Graeme Leslie.

What’s the latest team news?

Ange Postecoglou has a fully fit squad to select from heading into Wednesday’s game with only James Forrest (muscle strain) and fringe player James McCarthy remaining sidelined with a long-term hamstring problem.

Winger Liel Abada is pushing for a starting place after making a significant impact after coming on at half-time against St Mirren, while Sead Haksabanovic, Matt O’Riley and Oh Hyeon-gyu find themselves in a similar position.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Postecoglou said: “James got a bit of a muscle strain in training so he is going to be out for a little while, which is unfortunate for him. He will miss the next period of games probablt beyond the international break.

“Everyone else was OK from the weekend, but I will assess everyone who played on Sunday. It’s three games in six days so we are definitely going to make changes, whether that’s Wednesday or Saturday, I will see how the squad is.”

Hearts have bee hampered by fitness-related problems throughout the season and remains without goalkeeper Craig Gordon and centre-back Craig Halkett. Striker Liam Boyce and midfielder Beni Baningime have both returned to training after recovering from cruciate ligament injuries but are unlikely to feature until May.

Gary Mackay-Steven has gone under the knife to repair a fractured foot, while Stephen Humphrys and Stephen Kingsley are struggling with illness. Peter Haring (concussion) is also doubtful.

What have both managers’ said?

Ange Postecoglou:

Ange Postecoglou will take charge of his 100th game as Celtic manager in midweek as he reflected on the day he found out he had landed the top job at Parkhead.

Asked about his highlight of the landmark, the Hoops boss stated: “The day I was appointed, mate. That was it for me. All you can ever ask for in life for someone like myself is an opportunity. If you get that the rest is up to you to take it. 100 games is fairly significant, you would have got pretty long odds when I took the job to reach it. I guess that’s something.

“I haven’t taken a job and thought I wasn’t going to do well. I’ve said before that’s the responisbility you have at this football club. Success and tangible success in terms of trophies is an expectation. What we have achieved in the last 20 months has been the most pleasing part.

“We are well down the track in terms of the kind of team I want us to be. I can keep accelerating that and make us a more compelling team. That’s where I get the most satisfaction but you can’t disregard the success or the trophies because they’re the key cornerstone for any manager at any club particularly this one. The kind of football we play is the thing that has pleased me the most.”

Robbie Neilson:

With a massive double-header against Celtic in the league and the Scottish Cup looming this week, Robbie Neilson recognises the scale of the challenge facing his Hearts side but insists they will look to take both games to the champions.

He said: “Ange has done a fantastic job, there’s no doubt about that. He’s given the team a way of playing and a style of play which is entertaining. He has done exceptionally well, but hopefully we can go there and spoil that celebration.

“Defensively you need to be solid but you also have to have the belief that when you have the ball you can go and hurt them. When you watch teams that get success there then they control periods of the game, they pick the right pass at the right time and the right movement.

“We have to do that. The atmosphere is always electric there and it’s a difficult place to go but it’s one that gives us a chance to challenge ourselves as coaches and also as players. We need to go there and try to win the game.

“When you play against Celtic, the areas they try to utilise is something you’ve got to try and block off as well as you can. The difficulty is always applying pressure higher up the pitch against them because technically they’ve got some very good players. We have to be brave first and foremost and shut off the areas they like to play in.”