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Celtic continue their push for a fifth Scottish League Cup in six years with a game against Hearts on Sunday.
Ange Postecoglou's side have been in impressive form lately, winning three consecutive games and scoring 13 goals in the process. The most recent of these wins came against Jablonec in the third qualifying round of the Europa League. The Hoops won the game 3-0 and the overall tie 7-2 on aggregate.
Meanwhile, Hearts are coming off a 2-1 win over St. Mirren in the league. Hearts have had a perfect start to the season, winning both their league games.
Celtic vs Hearts Head-to-Head
Celtic and Hearts have clashed on 88 occasions, with the Hoops prevailing in 63 of those encounters. Hearts have won 15 matches, while 10 games have ended in draws.
The two sides recently met in the league, with Hearts staging a 2-1 upset against Celtic. Gary Mackay-Steven and Anthony Ralston had canceled out each other's goals, but John Souttar's 89th-minute strike handed Hearts a narrow win.
Celtic form guide: L-L-W-W-W
Hearts form guide: W-W-W-W-W
Celtic vs Hearts Team News
Celtic
Leigh Griffiths and Christopher Jullien are out with calf and knee injuries, respectively. New arrival James McCarthy is expected to be a part of the squad, but it is unlikely he will be handed a start.
Injured: Leigh Griffiths and Christopher Jullien
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Hearts
Jamie Walker could make a return to the lineup following recovery from an ankle injury. Stephen Kingsley's participation is in doubt due to illness.
Injured: None
Doubtful: Stephen Kingsley
Suspended: None
Celtic vs Hearts Predicted XI
Celtic predicted XI (4-3-3): Vasilis Barkas, Anthony Ralston, Stephen Welsh, Nir Bitton, Greg Taylor; David Turnbull, Ismaila Soro, Callum McGregor; Liel Abada, Odsson Edouard, Ryan Christie
Hearts predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Craig Gordon, John Souttar, Craig Halkett, Stephan Kingsley; Michael Smith, Peter Haring, Andy Halliday, Alex Cochrane; Josh Ginnelly, Gary Mackay-Steven; Liam Boyce
Celtic vs Hearts Prediction
Hearts have been in scintillating form, winning five games in a row, including an impressive triumph over Sunday's opponents. Celtic still go into the game as favorites, but there is a good possibility of Hearts eking out another surprise win.
We predict that Hearts will win the contest by a narrow margin.
Prediction: Hearts 2-1 Celtic
