Hearts sit proudly atop the Scottish Premiership, three points clear of Rangers and with a game in hand. Just below, Celtic trail by six points, staring up at a table that looks nothing like the familiar duopoly of Glasgow’s giants.
It’s a rare sight. For decades, the Old Firm have dominated Scottish football. In fact, the last time the title went anywhere other than Celtic Park or Ibrox was the 1984/85 season, when Aberdeen—led by a young Sir Alex Ferguson—clinched back-to-back championships before Fergie departed for Manchester United in 1986.
Since then, Celtic and Rangers have shared the last 40 league titles: 23 for Celtic, 17 for Rangers. That iron grip has defined the Premiership era. But this season, Hearts are threatening to tear up the script.
Timing is everything. While chaos reigns in Glasgow—with both Celtic and Rangers enduring managerial upheaval—Hearts have found stability under Derek McInnes.
Rangers dismissed their previous boss and installed Danny Röhl, while Celtic’s season has been even more turbulent: Brendan Rodgers until October, Martin O’Neill, Wilfried Nancy, and now a return to O’Neill in the space of months.
That consistency is Hearts’ greatest weapon. McInnes has built a side that looks relentless: they’ve won the most games, scored the most goals, and boast the best goal difference in the league.
Lawrence Shankland leads the scoring charts with 10 goals, while Alexandros Kyziridis tops the assist table. And if you needed further proof of their credentials, Hearts have beaten both Celtic and Rangers twice this season.
“I want us to meet the expectations of the support here and, in time, exceed those expectations,” McInnes said. “Right now, we’re probably exceeding them. But we’re comfortable with that. We’ve been top of the league for over three months. This isn’t just a little run of form—it’s something substantial.”
As the league enters its final third, the stakes rise with every fixture. Hearts face Dundee on Sunday, knowing that every point matters if they are to smash the Old Firm monopoly.
“Every game becomes bigger now,” McInnes added. “There’s less room for error. We just need to stay calm, keep improving, and focus on ourselves.”
For fans across Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Macau, the match will be streamed live on SPOTV NOW. Could this be the season Scottish football witnesses its biggest shake-up in four decades? Hearts believe it can.
