Chris McLaughlin
BBC Sport Scotland at Tynecastle

A tempo to match the occasion so far. Hearts determined not to let Celtic settle and their pressing so far has been impressive. They're also baring their teeth with Goncalves coming close. The visitors' back three looking slightly uneasy in the early stages.

Image source, SNS

Celtic are looking a bit shaky at the back. Brendan Rodgers may have to rethink this three at the back malarkey.

Hearts are not giving them a moment to settle.

Hearts come again, with Isma Goncalves cutting in from the left and thumping in a low shot that Craig Gordon does well to stop at full-stretch. The keeper then has to bravely recover the loose ball at the feet of Bjorn Johnsen, taking a dunt for his trouble.

Hearts are looking lively as Jamie Walker crosses from the right and Craig Gordon punches clear under pressure from Isma Goncalves.

Some good pressing from Hearts results in a throw-in right beside the corner flag. However, the long chuck is gathered easily by goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

Soon after, the ball breaks to Jamie Walker, who fires a first-time effort wide from 20 yards.

It does look like a back three for Celtic, with Tierney and Forrest in the wing-back roles. The latter is upended by a late lunge from Jamie Walker and the Hearts winger picks up the day's first yellow card.

It's started at a brisk pace and the the first big cheer goes up as Perry Kitchen clatters into Celtic captain Scott Brown.

The visitors break and Scott Sinclair feeds an offside Callum McGregor, who rolls a shot in with almost everyone already stopped.

And we're off!

The teams emerge from the tunnel into glorious sunshine, with referee Kevin Clancy leading the way.

Chris McLaughlin
BBC Sport Scotland at Tynecastle

A stunning day in the capital. The small band of around 1500 Celtic fans, here hoping for a party, are making themselves heard.

Brendan Rodgers very relaxed in his pre-match chat. Says if not today then it's OK. I suspect privately he'll want to finish here and finish it in style. 

Hearts fans will be hoping their side have used the break to sort out some issues. Ian Cathro says they're not even thinking about preventing a party - all about the three points according to him.

Hearts head coach Ian Cathro says the prospect of Celtic winning the title was not a major factor in his thinking.

"That's their story for what they have done this season, but it's not particularly prominent in our minds," he tells BBC Sportsound.

"We are aware of our situation and that's what's important to us and this is the start of an important three-game week.

"There is a determination to get the three points and my understanding is that, if we do that, there will be no party.

"The focus is entirely on what we have to do four ourselves.

"We are happy that it is a big game there's a lot of eyeballs on and we are looking forwrd to the game starting."

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers  is in no danger of panicking if his side don't clinch the title at Tynecastle today, but given this was the setting for his first league match in charge, he reckons it would be a fitting setting.

Talking to BBC Sportsound, the Celtic manager said: “This is where the challenge started for us and it would be nice to win it here as well. I said when I came in we didn’t want to just defend the title, we wanted to win it and in our way.

"It’s going to be a tough game today. But we’ll be ready and looking forward to the challenge.

“It’s been a really long season. Of course we can wrap it up today but if it’s not today, that’s OK, we have another game on Wednesday and another on the Saturday after that. We’ve earned the right, with the points advantage we have, but of course you want to win it as quickly as you can.

“No Moussa (Dembele), no Leigh (Griffiths), Moussa just got a slight hamstring tweak at the end of the game at Dundee. Too much of a risk for him but he should be fine for next week against Kilmarnock. The strength of us is our collective, the guys on the bench and those who are not involved."

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Brendan Rodgers says he will be thinking of former Parkhead favourite Tommy Burns when Celtic do wrap up the title.

Burns died of skin cancer at the age of 51 in May 2008.

“I think of the great man, Tommy Burns, who never ever won a title here [as manager] and you think of the commitment he gave to the club and the privilege it is for me to lead the club when we actually do get over the line,” Rodgers said yesterday.

Pat Bonner
Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

Here's a snippet of that Football Focus interview with Brendan Rodgers...

No Scottish champions have gone unbeaten since the late 19th Century.   

Can Celtic get to the end of the season with their domestic record intact? 

"I think the unbeaten one is very difficult," Brendan Rodgers told Football Focus yesterday.

"We have nine games to go and the last five games you go into a split. The last five are against top six teams so it becomes really difficult.

"In terms of the treble, we never really mention it. We have to stabilise that emotion and just think about performing and playing well.

"We want to win every game we play. For the remainder of season we will push as hard as we have all season - I think the group is getting better as they play more together."

Celtic skipper Scott Brown has been out for a look at the Tynecastle pitch with his team-mates. The grass in Gorgie was relaid at the end of February, so it's in good shape.

Image source, SNS

Tom McMaster : Hopefully they will beat Hearts and do St Johnstone a wee favour.  

Paul Bradley : Nobody cares anymore. It's talk about the Famous Aberdeen. 

Jamie Robertson : So it wasn't an April Fool that Griffiths and Dembele are injured? 

Loogie: More British players in Celtic team than in Hearts team. By a considerable margin. Never thought I'd see that! 

No one wants to see a title party on their patch, but Hearts' record against Celtic is no great shakes.

The Edinburgh side have lost 13 of their past 15 top-flight games against today's visitors, with their most recent win coming at home in October 2011.

The last meeting was a 4-0 win for Celtic in Glasgow at the end of January.

Image source, SNS