The Jambos Move 8 Points Clear Ahead at the Pinnacle Following Lawrence Shankland's Penalty Overcomes The Hoops

History wasn't made at Tynecastle, with it being far too early for such landmarks. This game highlighted is that Heart of Midlothian possess a real serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year title duopoly. That advantage stands at eight points for Hearts over the visitors, whom they easily dispatched. Catch them if you can.

Turning Point in the After the Break

A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, following a tight first half that was evenly matched. It was remarkable after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how stress-free the remainder of the game was for the home side. Alexandros Kyziridis doubled the lead, drifting inside before thumping a right-footed shot past the static Kasper Schmeichel. More joy followed in the stands, Dane Murray upending the Hearts player for a foul that Lawrence Shankland tucked away. Rodgers appeared frustrated; his problems are mounting.

The crowd erupted after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) puts Hearts 2-1 up against Celtic.

Hoops' Reaction

The away side responded positively from Hearts’ rapid start. Dane Murray, who struggled throughout, scored an own goal due to panic when trying to deal with a ball into the box. The Hoops worked their way into the game, the captain McGregor, scoring a Tierney pass for the equaliser.

Hearts' Defensive Resilience

The keeper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Engels shot which flicked off Magnússon. Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in stoppage time. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the ground. One cannot overlook the noise.

• Full report coming soon.