Team news: Celtic starting line-up v Hearts confirmed as Brendan Rodgers goes with unchanged side

Celtic will aim to strengthen their position at the top of the Scottish Premiership table on their return from the internaitonal break today when they take on Hearts at Tynecastle.

The Hoops currently sit seven points clear of arch rivals Rangers after eight matches, while the Jambos find themselves in fourth spot following a relatively underwhelming start to the new campaign.

Brendan Rodgers’ side boast an impressive recent record over the Gorgie club, winning 21 of their previous 22 meetings as they look to extend their unbeaten start to their title defence in the capital.

Celtic will be backed by just under 600 travelling fans for the crunch fixture and it’s no surprise that Rodgers has named an UNCHANGED line-up from the team who eased aside Kilmarnock 3-1 just over a fortnight ago.

Luis Palma keep his place on the wing, while the bench is also virtually unchanged with David Turnbull in for Odin Thiago Holm as the only change among the substitutites. There’s no place in the matchday squad still for Liel Abada, Maik Nawrocki and Stephen Welsh.

So here’s your confirmed starting line-ups for this afternoon’s Scottish Premiership clash in Gorgie...

Hearts starting XI (4-2-3-1)

Celtic starting XI (4-3-3)

Joe Hart; Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter Vickers, Liam Scales, Greg Taylor; Callum McGregor (c), Matt O’Riley Reo Hatate; Luis Palma, Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi.

And the bench...

Scott Bain (GK), Nat Phillips, Yang Hyun-jun, David Turnbull, Oh Hyeon-gyu, Tomoki Iwata, Paulo Bernardo, James Forrest, Anthony Ralston