The Tynecastle side Extend Eight Points Ahead in Front at the Summit Following Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats The Hoops

We did not witness at Tynecastle Park, with it being far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Hearts possess a real serious opportunity of ending Scottish football's long-standing title duopoly. Make that an eight-point lead for the maroon side over their rivals, whom they easily dispatched. Try to chase them down.

Turning Point in the Second Half

Three second-half minutes made the difference, after an opening period that was evenly matched. The striking aspect after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the remainder of the game was for the hosts. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, moving infield before firing a powerful effort past the stationary Kasper Schmeichel. More joy followed in the stands, Dane Murray fouling Cláudio Braga for a penalty that Lawrence Shankland slotted home. Rodgers looked dejected; challenges abound for him.

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

The Visitors' Fightback

Celtic bounced back from Hearts’ rapid start. The defender, who had a difficult day, turned the ball into his own net due to haste when trying to remove a ball into the box. They gradually fought back into the game, the captain McGregor, turning home a Tierney pass for level terms.

Solid Backline

The keeper Alexander Schwolow, who had made a brilliant stop from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Arne Engels shot which deflected off Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett blocked a Shin Yamada attempt in added time. The hosts faced little else as the minutes passed. “We remain resolute” has become the Tynecastle verse of choice at the stadium. One cannot overlook the buzz.

• Full report to follow.