Hearts and Celtic will face off in a highly anticipated Scottish Premiership matchday nine clash on Sunday, October 26th. The game will take place at Tynecastle Park, where the home side will be looking to build on their impressive 3-0 away win against Kilmarnock last weekend.
Craig Halkett opened the scoring for Hearts in the 19th minute, and Claudio Braga secured the victory with a second-half brace. This strong performance has Hearts sitting comfortably at the top of the league standings with 22 points from eight games.
Celtic, on the other hand, come into the match buoyed by a 2-1 comeback home win over Sturm Graz in the UEFA Europa League. Despite falling behind to Tomi Horvat’s 19th-minute strike, the Hoops fought back with Liam Scales equalizing just after the hour mark and Benjamin Nygren turning the game around four minutes later.
However, Celtic’s recent domestic form has been mixed. In their last league outing, they suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Dundee FC, leaving them in second place with 17 points from eight games. Brendan Rodgers’ side will now refocus on the Premiership as they look to close the gap on Hearts.
### Hearts vs Celtic: Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
This upcoming fixture marks the 329th meeting between Hearts and Celtic. Historically, Celtic have dominated the rivalry with 185 wins, while Hearts have triumphed 75 times, and 68 matches have ended in draws.
The most recent encounter took place in March 2025, with Celtic securing a convincing 3-0 home victory. Interestingly, five of the last six head-to-head games have seen one of the teams fail to score.
Both teams have shown a tendency for more goals in the second half recently; Celtic’s last nine matches across all competitions have featured more goals after halftime, and four of Hearts’ last six league games have followed the same pattern.
### Hearts vs Celtic Prediction
Hearts have made a blazing start to the season, currently on an eight-game unbeaten streak in the league with seven wins. They have won their last five league games in a row and lead the table by five points. A victory in this fixture would extend their advantage over Celtic to eight points.
Celtic, meanwhile, have only won two of their last seven matches in all competitions. Despite this, their recent European comeback should boost confidence within the squad.
Considering both teams’ form and history, a narrow win for the visitors seems likely, with goals expected at both ends.
**Prediction:** Hearts 1-2 Celtic
### Hearts vs Celtic Betting Tips
– **Tip 1:** Celtic to win
– **Tip 2:** Both teams to score
– **Tip 3:** Over 2.5 goals
– **Tip 4:** Highest scoring half: Second half
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/hearts-vs-celtic-prediction-betting-tips-october-26th-2025
