Hearts Positioned as Title Contenders in Scottish Premiership
Celtic are set to host Hearts on the final day of the Scottish Premiership season. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has expressed his belief that Hearts are well placed to become regular contenders for the league title.
Following Sunday's victory over Rangers, Hearts currently lead Celtic by three points with three games remaining in the title race. Derek McInnes' team is striving to become the first non-Old Firm club to win Scotland's top-flight league since Aberdeen's triumph in 1985.
With the support of Brighton owner Tony Bloom and his data analytics company, O'Neill sees potential for Hearts to sustain their consistency beyond this season.
"Why not? Absolutely. Tony Bloom has invested in Brighton and he has also done the same at Hearts," O'Neill told talkSPORT.
"If you're looking at it from a neutral viewpoint, which I certainly am not, but if you were, then there's been excitement this season because Hearts have come up, thrown down the gauntlet to the two big teams and I think that can only be good for the [Premiership]."
Hearts' Title Challenge and the Premiership Landscape
O'Neill praised Hearts for their strong performance and ability to maintain their position near the top of the table. He also noted that the recent match between Celtic and Rangers can no longer be considered a direct title decider.
Rangers currently trail the league leaders by seven points and are four points behind defending champions Celtic. Second place still offers a chance at Champions League qualification.
"Rangers now are quite a number of points behind Hearts," O'Neill said.
"We're talking about three games left, so that would be difficult to overcome at this particular stage.
"It's not impossible, it can happen. The games are very difficult matches still for all of us to come through."
The Celtic manager added that Hearts' superior goal difference gives them an advantage if their lead remains going into the final game of the season at Celtic Park.
"I suppose I was looking for a draw [between Hearts and Rangers]. A draw is very, very difficult to cheer on, but that would then have put it in our own hands," the Northern Irishman said.
"As it turns out, mathematically speaking, it's not actually in our own hands.
"But credit to the team, we're still fighting, we still have a chance - there's no question about it."
