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Hearts v Celtic Bet Builder Stats & Predictions

Hearts v Celtic Bet Builder Stats & Predictions

Saturday 2 March, 20242 min read
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Robin Bairner

Robin is a specialist in Scottish and French football and has been with us since 2022. He loves championing the young talent that Ligue 1 produces on a seemingly perpetual basis as well as the chaos of the unique world of SPFL football. He is currently based in central Scotland and can be found weekly taking in games and rating pies at windswept venues across the country.

In this article...

Hearts v Celtic

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Kick Off: Sunday 3rd March at 12:00
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Competition: Scottish Premiership
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Watch Live: Sky Sports Football

Along with our bet builder tips for this game, Andy's Bet Club includes plenty of expert Scottish football tips and SPFL accumulator tips for you to get your teeth into. The site also contains a wide range of other football betting tips & predictions and betting tools like our bet builder stats and our cheat sheet guides to help you build some winners this week.

Hearts host Celtic at Tynecastle in the Scottish Premiership’s game of the weekend on Sunday.

It’s third against second in Edinburgh but the pressure is very much on the visiting side to get the victory to keep the pressure on Rangers at the top of the league.

Brendan Rodgers’ side returned to form in midweek as they demolished Dundee 7-1, and it is this type of performance they will need going forward if they are to regain control of top spot. Celtic’s problem in recent weeks, though, has been consistency.

On the other hand, Hearts appear to be coming out of a real purple patch. Steven Naismith’s side won 11 of 12 games over the winter, including a famous win away against Celtic, but have failed to win either of their last two. Beyond the results, though, the performances in the 5-0 loss to Rangers and the 1-1 draw with Hibs are below what has become their standard.

So will Hearts find a return to the level they showed for so much of January and February and cause an upset that will take the title out of Celtic’s reach or will the visitors secure another statement win?

Hearts v Celtic Cheat Sheet

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🏆 Match stats: Celtic to build on midweek success

At 1.50, Celtic look good value to take the victory on Sunday. For all the talk of the Hoops’ struggles, they have found a way to win 11 of their last 13 matches since losing against Hearts in December, while the nature of their midweek win must have restored a good deal of confidence. On top of this, Celtic have enjoyed a far easier week than their opponents. Matches against Motherwell and Dundee after far less gruelling than a trip to Rangers and an Edinburgh derby. And their squad is better equipped to deal with the rigours of a three-game week. Allied to all this, Hearts had lost 10 straight against Celtic before the last meeting of the sides, so the price on the visitors is generous. What’s more, this is a typically high-scoring fixture. The Hearts v Celtic stats show that six of the last nine between the clubs have brought at least three goals, while the three exceptions all had a couple. With Celtic having rediscovered their scoring touch in midweek and Hearts boasting the Premiership’s deadliest player in Lawrence Shankland, there is little reason to believe that trend will not continue.

Predictions:

⚽ Celtic to win @ 1.50

⚽ Over 2.5 goals @ 1.57

🎯 Shooting stats: Shankland has outstanding value

Hearts’ threat will come from Lawrence Shankland, who has 19 domestic goals for the season after bagging a derby equaliser from the penalty spot against Hibs in midweek. The former Dundee United hitman is outstanding value at 1.5 to get a shot on target in this match. Shankland is averaging 1.36 shots on target per 90 this season and, notably, has scored in both fixtures that the Jambos have played against the Hoops. Given Celtic have not kept a clean sheet in __ games, odds of 3.1 scoring any time are nice. From Celtic’s perspective, Adam Idah is the man to monitor. He likely started in midweek with a view to being rotated out of the team for this game, but after bagging a double, there is little doubt that he is in better form than Kyogo Furuhashi and should start. The Ireland star has five goals in five games and is 2.4 to score anytime. With 1.88 shots on target per 90, he must be closely policed. Matt O’Riley is ever a threat but can lack accuracy in his finishing at times, while Cameron Carter-Vickers offers 0.38 shots on target per 90 and will carry a threat from set pieces.

Predictions:

⚽ Lawrence Shankland to have 1+ shots on target @ 1.50

⚽ Cameron Carter-Vickers to have 1+ shots on target @ 4.50

⚽ Adam Idah to score anytime @ 2.40

🛑 Fouls stats: Johnston has history but Iwata a great price

One of the secrets to Hearts’ success against Celtic at Parkhead in December was their extreme discipline. Naismith’s side only gave up three fouls in that game yet they have numerous starters who average conceding more than one free kick per match. Cammy Devlin is one to watch to that end. The defensive midfielder posts 1.69 fouls committed per 90, behind only Kenneth Vargas and is likely to be deployed in a highly competitive midfield area. The only drawback is his recent injury issues are liable to see his minutes restricted adding an element risk to any bet. At 1.36 to commit 2 or more fouls, he is simply not value for this reason. Vargas, meanwhile, gave up 4 fouls when deployed against Celtic in the last home game so is one to monitor along with winger Alan Forest, who gave up 3 free kicks in that match. Celtic’s likeliest criminal, meanwhile, is Alistair Johnston. In his two previous matches against Hearts this season, he has given up a total of five free kicks. Priced at 2 to repeat this feat, the Canada international appears good value. The Hearts v Celtic Cheat Sheet shows Johnston lies only fourth among Celtic players in terms of fouls per 90, but he also plays the most minutes. More value could come in Tomoki Iwata, though. With Callum McGregor an injury doubt, the Japanese could get additional minutes. He is Celtic’s leading foul maker on a per-90 basis with 1.96, and at 1.67 to commit just one offence is incredible value. At 4.2 for 2 or more fouls, this is a nice way to supercharge a Hearts v Celtic bet builder.

Predictions:

⚽ Alistair Johnston to commit 2+ fouls @ 2.0

⚽ Tomoki Iwara to commit 1+ fouls @ 1.67

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