Gary Mackay: Why I am more worried about Hamilton than Celtic

We will get bullied in Lanarkshire if we played like we did on Saturday

Hearts travel to Hamilton after facing Celtic. Picture: SNS Group

You never know what you’re going to get from this team because occasionally they pull out a strong performance that isn’t in keeping with the struggles we’ve endured over the past year, and it tends to come in the bigger games.

From a Hearts player’s point of view, Celtic at home is probably a decent game for them to have at this point.

They don’t look comfortable at all in games they’re expected to win, but in this one there will be no expectation. I’m not saying we’ll definitely get a good performance, but it might be the kind of game that eases the tension slightly and gives them a bit of a lift. We saw it earlier in the season when everyone expected Rangers to roll us over at Tynecastle and we ended up drawing 1-1.

In many ways I’m more worried about Saturday’s trip to Hamilton. If we play like we did against St Johnstone on Saturday, then I fear we’ll get bullied in Lanarkshire.

Hamilton are down at the bottom of the league like ourselves but they are used to fighting for their lives. They have been over the course before and for all that they clearly have their limitations, they know how to ruffle feathers and knock opponents out of their stride.

We are a soft team at the moment and I just wonder if we’ve got the bravery to cope with a challenge like Saturday’s. Have we got the heart, the fight, the desire to go and win a Premiership match away to another team fighting for their lives on a horrible winter’s day? Hopefully my doubts are proved wrong and we can avoid the dire scenario of being rock-bottom of the league on Christmas Day.