Hearts manager Derek McInnes has issued a rallying call to his team ahead of their clash with Celtic at Tynecastle Park, urging them to "strike another blow" against their arch-rivals and maintain their grip on the Scottish Premiership title.
The Jambos are six points clear at the top of the table after beating Celtic both home and away this season, but McInnes is keen not to get carried away with his team's momentum. Instead, he views Sunday's match as a fresh opportunity to put in a performance against a high-quality opponent.
"We've already beaten them twice, so it's a different game now," McInnes said. "Celtic under Martin are in a different place, and we're looking forward to the challenge. It's another chance for us to try and strike a blow to a direct opponent who are right up there with us in the league."
McInnes' focus on the task at hand is clear, but he also acknowledges that losing several key players through injury will be a significant test of his team's resolve. Midfielder Cammy Devlin and defender Stephen Kingsley will miss the game due to hamstring injuries, while midfielder Beni Baningime serves a suspension after receiving a red card in their win against St Mirren.
Despite these setbacks, McInnes is confident that his team can cope with the injuries and use them as an opportunity to bring in reinforcements. In this case, Hearts are set to sign Vadar forward Rogers Mato this month, who has scored 12 goals in 13 games for the North Macedonian club this season.
The 22-year-old's arrival will provide a welcome boost to McInnes' squad, but he is aware that injuries are an inevitable part of life at the top level. "Losing key players is part of it," he said. "You've got to try and cope with that throughout the season. We feel as if we've got good players in the building, and whenever there's any disappointment for certain players through a longer-term injury, then it presents an opportunity for others to step up."
McInnes' team is under pressure to maintain their title hopes, but he remains optimistic about their chances. "It's not all doom and gloom," he said. "We've got good players in the building, and we're just trying to work our way through a situation where we can deal with injuries."
The Jambos are six points clear at the top of the table after beating Celtic both home and away this season, but McInnes is keen not to get carried away with his team's momentum. Instead, he views Sunday's match as a fresh opportunity to put in a performance against a high-quality opponent.
"We've already beaten them twice, so it's a different game now," McInnes said. "Celtic under Martin are in a different place, and we're looking forward to the challenge. It's another chance for us to try and strike a blow to a direct opponent who are right up there with us in the league."
McInnes' focus on the task at hand is clear, but he also acknowledges that losing several key players through injury will be a significant test of his team's resolve. Midfielder Cammy Devlin and defender Stephen Kingsley will miss the game due to hamstring injuries, while midfielder Beni Baningime serves a suspension after receiving a red card in their win against St Mirren.
Despite these setbacks, McInnes is confident that his team can cope with the injuries and use them as an opportunity to bring in reinforcements. In this case, Hearts are set to sign Vadar forward Rogers Mato this month, who has scored 12 goals in 13 games for the North Macedonian club this season.
The 22-year-old's arrival will provide a welcome boost to McInnes' squad, but he is aware that injuries are an inevitable part of life at the top level. "Losing key players is part of it," he said. "You've got to try and cope with that throughout the season. We feel as if we've got good players in the building, and whenever there's any disappointment for certain players through a longer-term injury, then it presents an opportunity for others to step up."
McInnes' team is under pressure to maintain their title hopes, but he remains optimistic about their chances. "It's not all doom and gloom," he said. "We've got good players in the building, and we're just trying to work our way through a situation where we can deal with injuries."
they've been here before and fallen apart when it matters most. Losing key players is a recipe for disaster, especially if you're relying on guys like Mato to step up. And let's be real, the pressure is gonna get to them. Celtic are always a threat, even without their star players, so I'm not counting on Hearts to come out on top. 
The way Hearts is managing these key player injuries is like a total joke! 
I mean, they lose Cammy Devlin and Stephen Kingsley, two major contributors, and then sign some new guy Rogers Mato just to fill the gap? 
Give me a break! 
They need to step up their transfer strategy and get some real depth in that squad if they want to keep pushing for the title. 
. these teams are literally being held together by duct tape and hope... vadar forward rogers mato just scored 12 goals in 13 games and he's basically the answer to all of hearts' problems 
. They've already beaten Celtic twice this season, so they know what they're capable of 
. And getting in Rogers Mato will definitely give 'em an extra boost 
. But, you gotta feel for the team right now - losing players to injury is never easy 
. Still, McInnes seems like a cool head 
, he's not getting too caught up in the pressure of winning that title trophy 
. I'm thinkin' Hearts can keep their momentum goin', but it'll be a tough match against Celtic 
They just signed Mato, but have you seen their injury list? It's like they're intentionally weakening themselves for the other teams to take advantage of. And McInnes is worried about coping with injuries? That's just a cover-up, dude! 
hes been on fire this season and i think he'll be a great addition to the squad!!! McInnes talks about how injuries r part of life at the top level but honestly i feel like teams just need 2 have a solid backup plan lol i mean cammy devlin and stephen kingsley got injured and beni baningime got a red card idk what u guys think tho 
! Hearts are on fire right now and I think they can keep it up. McInnes is doing a great job of not getting too carried away, though - the pressure's definitely on them to keep that title spot. On the other hand, Celtic's under Martin seem like a totally different team from before. It'll be interesting to see how Hearts handle the loss of some key players... I mean, Cammy Devlin and Stephen Kingsley are huge losses, but hopefully their new signing Mato can bring some much-needed firepower 
. The thing that's got me most excited is that this match could really make or break Celtic's season - they need a win bad! Can't wait to see what happens on Sunday 
️.
They're playing some top-notch football and their fans are on cloud nine 
. It's great to see Derek McInnes keeping his cool under pressure, reminding everyone that they've got this 
. Rogers Mato sounds like a game-changer, can't wait to see him in action