“We’re not eyeballing Hearts and worrying about them,” Luke McCowan

Celtic may have delivered a much-improved performance at Celtic Park on Saturday, but the goalless draw with Hibs saw the team drop two points behind Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premiership…

The early table makes for intriguing reading, but inside the Celtic dressing room there appears little panic. Luke McCowan, speaking after the game and reported by Daily Record was assertive in his assessment of the situation.

“We’re not eyeballing Hearts and worrying about them or anything like that. It’s more worrying about ourselves. It’s making sure that we’re at it. That’s always been the way Celtic play. It’s about we come first and we make sure that we’re doing the things that we’re good at throughout the season,” McCowan explained.

“If we keep up what we’re doing, it won’t matter what Hearts do. It’s about the levels of performance Celtic put in. It’s the same every season, isn’t it? There’s always a team that pushes us. It’s always the question. Last year it was Aberdeen, they started like a house on fire. Hearts as well have started like a house on fire, performing well.

“It’s so early, there’s so many games to play. If we keep that performance level that we did on Saturday, we’ll come away with the three points more often than not. It doesn’t matter if there’s one point in it or ten or more. It’s about putting that level of expectation on yourself.

“It won’t matter if Hearts are there or not. It’s about us. It’s a level of expectation at this club. You need to put that pressure on yourself and you need to accept that pressure of league Champions. You need to go and show why you won the league before. But knowing that winning it the year before means absolutely nothing. It’s about pushing on and pushing on and then that throughout the full season.”

McCowan’s words reflect a realism that many inside Celtic Park will recognise. The Champions know that, historically, the only team capable of derailing Celtic is ourselves. Just last season Aberdeen were tipped as the side who could finally split the Glasgow dominance, with some even considering them title challengers, only to fade away spectacularly after a blistering start.

Now it is Hearts’ turn to earn the headlines, and with Derek McInnes in charge, Tony Bloom’s financial backing, and Jamestown Analytics shaping recruitment, there is plenty of hype around Tynecastle. Bloom has already stated he wants to see Hearts win the title within a decade. But as the Edinburgh club sit top of the table after six games, some are wondering if that timeline has already been shortened from ten years to ten months.

Hearts have scored 15 goals in their opening fixtures, an impressive return compared to Celtic’s eight. Yet defensively, Hearts have shipped six goals, the same as theRangers, who are being heavily scrutinised for their defensive fragility.

Celtic, by contrast, have conceded just once. If Alex Ferguson’s maxim that attack wins games, but defences win titles still rings true, then Celtic supporters may find more comfort in our own statistics than those of the league leaders.

The problem for Celtic, however, lies not at the back but up front. The departure of Kyogo in January robbed the side of their most reliable finisher. The summer exits of Nicolas Kühn and Adam Idah compounded the issue, while Jota’s long-term injury deprived the team of creativity and a steady supply of goals and assists.

Recruitment has also been late and inconsistent. Seb Tounekti has shown signs of promise and creativity in flashes reminiscent of Jota, though still raw. Kel Iheanacho, brought in on a free, looks an able replacement for Idah but is still building fitness. Michel Ange Balikwisha, meanwhile, has looked cautious in his early appearances, more like a central midfielder operating wide than a natural winger.

For now, Celtic’s attacking reinforcements offer promise but no guarantees.

That uncertainty has given Hearts hope, though their challenge carries familiar caveats. Momentum is a vital ingredient in any title bid and McInnes’ side certainly have it at present. But with so much of the starting XI still drawn from last season, they remain vulnerable to key injuries. Craig Halkett’s continued fitness is crucial, without him, the defence could quickly unravel.

Article by Niall J continues on the next page…