Scottish Premier League: Neutral observers of Scottish football, if there are any, may breathe a collective sigh of relief shortly before 5pm today should Hearts escape without defeat from a trip to Parkhead, but Celtic's form seems sure to guarantee George Burley's team their stiffest test to date of an unbeaten league campaign.

Despite being bundled out of Europe by Artmedia Bratislava and defeated in the season's first Old Firm match, Celtic will sit on top of the SPL this evening if they complete their seventh straight league win.

Such a feat is a far cry from earlier in the season, when Gordon Strachan was under immediate pressure after a brutal start to his Celtic career.

"If you had said to me after those European games that we would be in this position heading into this game with Hearts, I'd have taken that," said Strachan yesterday.

"I've had more time to work with the players than perhaps previous managers did, because we are not in Europe, but I'd still rather be playing in Europe at this stage of the season.

"What you have tomorrow is two teams in a rich vein of form. I won't kid my players - they are playing against a very good Hearts team."

It has been no coincidence that the improved form of Shunsuke Nakamura and Maciej Zurawski, both high-profile summer purchases by Strachan, has coincided with a robust league run.

It is therefore all the more frustrating for the manager that just as Zurawski was beginning to find his form - five goals in as many starts - the striker suffered a hamstring injury during Poland's midweek defeat to England that will keep him out for a minimum of three weeks.

Bobo Balde, the defender whose play has also improved after a poor start to the season, is another who believes Celtic's lack of European action has worked in their favour.

"At the start of the season, we had a new manager, new players and a new way of playing," he said.

"It's impossible to be at your best right away, but now we know each other better and have improved."

Hearts' unbeaten league run, a welcome respite from the duopoly that has ruled the Scottish game for two decades, has come at the expense of teams the Old Firm have dropped points against. That would seem to discount the theory that only when a team has won at Ibrox or Parkhead can they be considered genuine challengers, but there are equally good reasons not to discount Hearts' ambitions in the event of defeat today.

The former Scotland international Pat Nevin says the Edinburgh side should remain positive, whatever today's result.

"Having played in teams against the Old Firm in the past decade, it was often possible to match them pass for pass, but you would be killed by their power and physical strength," he observed.

"Hearts don't have that problem - they are as strong on the ground and in the air as Rangers or Celtic.

"People may think their squad lacks depth, but Hearts seem to have both the finances and international scouting network to bring in more players if required.

"Rangers are still in Europe, which could hinder their domestic form, and having spoken with Gordon a lot, I know Celtic are in transition. It's surprising that they are playing so well already, but I still see no reason why Hearts cannot maintain their early form."

Hearts will be without their first-choice goalkeeper, Craig Gordon, who is suspended, and Takis Fyssas is an injury doubt.

Celtic's captain Neil Lennon returns from suspension, along with Alan Thompson, who has missed his club's last three games with a twisted ankle.

Guardian Service