Head coach Derek McInnes says Hearts will be facing the toughest challenge on Sunday, when they come up against Celtic at Tynecastle.
It’s first against second in Gorgie this weekend as Brendan Rodgers brings his side to Tynecastle for a lunchtime kick-off in front of the TV cameras and while acknowledging the challenge his side face, McInnes admits Hearts are in a good place ahead of the fixture.
Speaking to the media at the pre-match press conference the head coach said:
“It’s important in terms of it's another three points available. Obviously, there's a lot in the game and actually the build-up. I think I've been getting asked about this game for a couple of weeks now and we've still had to navigate a couple of results, and I understand why, but I think for us, we're facing the toughest challenge.
“Celtic always provide the toughest challenge, certainly in recent seasons, and it's another test for us, but it's a test that we're looking forward to.
“We feel we're going into it in good form. It's not always easy, football. You try to get that confidence from individuals and through your team and you get that from results obviously, but I think we're going into it in a good place.
“I think we feel ready, I think the supporters feel ready for it, Tynecastle will be ready for it and hopefully we can put in a good result, because regardless of what we've done previously in the previous games and there's good results and some good performances up until now, it doesn't guarantee anything that when you play Celtic you've got to be on point and you're going to have to play really well to get anything from the game, but we're looking forward to it nonetheless.
“You always go into a new club, normally as a manager, you go into a new club because things maybe aren't quite right, for one reason or another. It's your job as a staff to try and get it moving in the right direction, so a combination of that, the players' efforts, how the club have been in terms of support has been terrific.
“So I think if you look back to day one and said we'd be sitting here almost in November on the back of the performances, we'd be really pleased with that, but it's important that we all recognise the season's still in its infancy.
“We're only eight games in and while everybody else can talk and fans can get excited and rightly so and it's great that there's so many people enjoying what we're doing at the minute, from the professional part of it, we've got to just try and maintain good levels, keep trying to improve and see where it takes us and I do think a good gauge of that will come on Sunday.”
In terms of team news, Ageu is back in contention, but Frankie Kent will miss out along with Ryan Fulton and Finlay Pollock.
“Ageu, back training, which is great news for us, Borchgrevink is back full training, we had a bounce game yesterday, managed to get some minutes into some, so at the minute it's Ryan Fulton, Finlay Pollock, Frankie Kent are the only three that are missing for the weekend.”
You can watch Derek’s press conference in full on Hearts TV.
