Hearts v Celtic: TV channel; kick-off time; team news; form guide; odds

Hearts continue their cinch Premiership campaign at home to Celtic on Saturday. Here is all you need to know:

Match details

Who: Hearts v Celtic. What: cinch Scottish Premiership. Where: Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh. When: Saturday, October 22. Kick-off 3pm. Referee: Nick Walsh.

TV and ticket info

Hearts were defeated 2-0 by Celtic at Parkhead when the teams met in Glasgow earlier this season. Picture: SNS

The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football. The coverage will begin at 12noon and end at 3pm. International subscribers can watch live on Hearts TV.

Team news

Peter Haring will miss out for Hearts due to still being in concussion protocol. Andy Halliday will be in the squad after fears he’d damaged his Achilles in the 2-0 loss to Aberdeen last time out. Michael Smith has a chance of being fit, likewise wingers Josh Ginnelly and Gary Mackay-Steven. Craig Halkett, Nathaniel Atkinson, Kye Rowles remain out. Liam Boyce and Beni Baningime are long-term absentees.

Celtic’s ridiculous wealth of attacking talent could be bolstered by the return of Jota and David Turnbull from injury.

Form guide

Hearts have won just five of 17 games this season, a run which stretches to five in 22 going back to the 2021/22 campaign. They've suffered four defeats in a winless run of five, conceding 16 goals in the process while scoring only three.

Though they’ve continued to struggle in European football, Celtic have returned to their dominant ways on the domestic scene, winning their last four with 14 goals scored, including six against Hibs last weekend.

Head-to-head

Hearts have won just once of the last 15 meetings between the sides, the 2-1 win at Tynecastle which kicked off last season. Celtic have won the rest. There hasn’t been a draw in the league between the sides since December 2015.

Manager thoughts

Robbie Neilson: “If you look at the last few games we haven’t picked up the results but we are creating chances. At Kilmarnock we could have been two or three up, against Aberdeen it was the same before they scored. We aren’t taking them but we are creating them. We know we aren’t defending as well as we should, but there’s a reason for that.”

Bookies’ odds

Home 15/2, Draw 17/4, Away 1/3, with McBookie.

Another thing

The game at Tynecastle Park will be the first televised game in Scottish football history to have VAR.