Stuart Findlay says Hearts will need to be at their very best this Sunday if they want to pick up a positive result but is relishing what he believes will be a ‘magnificent occasion’.
The Jambos welcome Celtic to Gorgie for a lunchtime kick-off in front of another sold-out Tynecastle and the defender admits it’s a game he’s looking forward to.
Speaking to the media at the pre-match press conference, Findlay said:
“It's going to be a magnificent occasion. The stadium has sold out, which the way this season's been for the fans so far, it's not a surprise.
“The fans have been absolutely outstanding. It'll be a spectacle, that's for sure. I think both teams deserve to have this build-up because both teams are at the top of the table at the moment. I'm really looking forward to the game; I think it should be a really good game.
“I don't think in the history of Hearts at Tynecastle, they've ever went into a game at home and not expected to get a result out of the game.
“I think, obviously there's a lot of talk around what's happening in the league and stuff just now, but at the end of the day, it's another league game, it's a game against the league champions, who in the last how many years have proved by far to be the best team in the country.
“We go into that game knowing that we have to be at our very best, which thankfully, we have been for most of the season. If we perform at our very best, there's no reason we can't go and believe that we can get the result that would be fantastic for the club.”
The defender joined the Jambos on loan this summer and has formed a real partnership with Craig Halkett in the heart of the defence, culminating in a current run of five wins and four clean sheets in a row.
“When you go to a new club, there's a lot of factors that maybe come into it, you don't have expectations of where you expect to be, but I went into this club knowing what the gaffer can do, what he'd done at Killie and knowing that he'd been a success at a football club. It's been better than I could ever have imagined. It's been a fantastic start and a long may that continue.
“I think it helps that because of the results we’ve had; we've been able to build the partnerships, because there's not been much change in the side, I think it always helps.
“I think the last four games that I've played with Halks [Halkett], you get to grow these sorts of relationships. I think the more that you play, the more that you get success in these partnerships, the more they're going to continue to flourish. We’ve had four clean sheets, but it was a very good way to test how well we've been doing together, get that fifth win against probably one of the most potent attacks you're going to get in the league.
“You look at Cammy and Beni in front of us, the work that Braga and Shanks have put in up top, Harry obviously playing at right midfield, putting in that defensive effort as well, it's a defensive unit and we've all been part of it. Alex coming in as well has helped us.
“I think the cohesion of the 11 that we've had for the last four or five games is a bare testament to itself, and I think that's what we have to draw motivation from.”
You can watch Stuart’s press conference in full on Hearts TV.
