‘Desperate’: Hearts boss has say on Celtic and Rangers hunt, coach altercation and signing – once he finds UK

Manager Praises Debutant as Title Race Takes Another Twist

Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has called on his side to continue raising their standards after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Celtic, admitting both the champions and Rangers are “desperate” to knock the Tynecastle club off the top of the Premiership.

The stalemate in Gorgie, coupled with Rangers’ 3-0 victory over Dundee, leaves Hearts four points clear at the summit after 23 matches. McInnes’ side lead the way on 51 points, with Rangers close behind on 47 and Celtic a further two adrift on 45. With 15 games still to play, the title race is shaping up to be one of the most thrilling in years.

Celtic twice took the lead, but Hearts showed real resilience, particularly after Auston Trusty was sent off following a VAR review in the 77th minute. Ten minutes later, Claudio Braga struck the equaliser to earn the hosts a valuable point. Given Hearts were missing key figures Beni Baningime, Cammy Devlin and captain Lawrence Shankland, McInnes was full of praise for his players’ attitude and determination.

“Coming from behind twice against a team of Celtic’s quality always gives you pride,” McInnes said. “You want to see that perseverance, and I thought we showed it. In terms of chances and how the game played out, I felt we had the better opportunities to win it.

“Even before the red card, I liked how we played, but obviously we pushed more once they were down to 10 men. Celtic had a tough game on Thursday, which maybe played a part, but the energy and effort from everyone on our side was excellent.”

McInnes stressed Hearts’ position is no fluke, pointing out they have been leading the table for more than four months. “This isn’t a purple patch. It’s something we’re comfortable with and I’m enjoying where we are. But we know big clubs and strong teams are chasing us, so we have to keep improving. I still believe there are more wins in this group.”

Debut Delight for Leonard

The Hearts boss also handed a debut to 24-year-old midfielder Marc Leonard, who joined on loan from Birmingham City, and McInnes was delighted with what he saw.

“Bringing Marc in was really important. That type of midfielder is exactly what we needed – someone who can get on the ball and play with quality. You saw that straight away,” he said.

McInnes explained the move was driven by necessity following injuries and suspensions. “We had to react quickly with Beni suspended, Cammy injured and a few others doubts. In a few weeks, hopefully we’ll have really strong options again.”

Touchline Flashpoint and Red Card Debate

McInnes was also involved in a brief touchline confrontation with a member of the Celtic coaching staff after Benjamin Nygren’s opener. “That’s one place I won’t be going,” he joked. “It had nothing to do with Martin or Shaun. It was just one of the inexperienced coaches getting a bit carried away.”

On Trusty’s dismissal – Celtic’s first domestic red card since March 2024 – McInnes admitted surprise at the VAR intervention but felt the decision was justified.

“I’ve not seen it back, but my feeling was that Kabore was getting a shot away. When VAR upgraded it, it was a shock because Celtic don’t often see red cards domestically, but to me it looked like a red-card offence.”

New Arrival on the Way

McInnes also revealed Hearts hope to complete the signing of Ugandan forward Rogers Mato from FK Vardar in time for next weekend’s clash with Dundee United.

“I just hope he finds the net quicker than he finds the UK,” McInnes joked. “But he should be here this week.”