'The danger of a proper shellacking': Journalists' predictions for Celtic v Hearts

Our online team try to predict the result as Hearts travel to Celtic in the Ladbrokes Premiership

Patrick McPartlin: In the past few weeks, Celtic have been quite comfortably beating every team they come up against by two or three goals, without ever seemingly leaving second gear for large parts of the encounter. Neil Lennon rested a few of his first-team stars in the Scottish Cup clash with Clyde and while the Hoops boss has some injury worries, he still has players capable of doing damage against the skittish Jambos defence. There were some positive signs during the laboured cup win over Falkirk - as well as some of the same old issues at the back - but even taking the likely grim weather into consideration, I think Celtic, at home, will be too strong a prospect for Daniel Stendel's side. Prediction: Celtic win

Mark Atkinson: It sounds like Hearts are going to be cavalier at Celtic Park. And why not? Most teams go there, look for a point and usually lose by at least a couple of goals. Celtic are not impenetrable in defence. However, what Celtic have is oodles of pace and movement, plus the league's best striker in Odsonne Edouard to take advantage of the gaps the Jambos may leave behind them. If Hearts come to play then this will be a fun match, but the outcome of a Celtic win remains highly likely. Prediction: Celtic 3-1 Hearts.

Craig Fowler: Let's not labour the point too much. Football is a funny game, unpredictable, it's why we love it blah blah blah. But anyone who could confidently predict a Hearts win here and attempt to back it up with logic and reason is off their heads. The home side are in dominant form, are welcoming back top class players from injury and haven't lost to Hearts in Glasgow since the late noughties. Prediction: Celtic win

Hearts midfielder Loic Damour battles Olivier Ntcham during the last meeting between the sides. Picture: SNS

Joel Sked: It was heartening to read Stendel's comments about his game plan for the visit to the league leaders. He wants to attack Celtic. Hearts fans have been tired of watching their team go to Parkhead with a strategy which is a mixture of defend and hope. However, it does open up the danger of a proper shellacking, especially if the team defend how they have in their past two league fixtures. That being said, sitting in can lead to a meek surrender and thrashing also. Prediction: Celtic win. Just.