Celtic ready to turn up the heat

Celtic will be looking to turn up the heat in the Scottish Premier League on Saturday by beating Hamilton at New Douglas Park and move top of the table despite having not played a game in three weeks.

The Hoops’ previous two matches against Aberdeen and Kilmarnock have fallen foul of the severe weather that has battered Scotland and currently trail league leaders Rangers by three points.

However their rivals home game against St Mirren on Saturday has been postponed due to water damage at Ibrox meaning Neil Lennon’s side can top the table with a win at Hamilton thanks to their superior goal difference.

Celtic have drawn their past two games and after their three week lay-off manager Lennon says the players are desperate to get back to winning ways.

“I’d imagine the players will be even more up for the game after two weeks off, so there will be a real hunger to play,” the Hoops manager said.

“There will also be a bit of freshness about them. We have to prepare them as best we can, but they will all be looking forward to playing again.

“They’re very motivated to be successful this season and they know the last two results haven’t been what was required.

“But going into the Christmas period I know they’ll be very motivated to turn that around.”

Midfielder Paddy McCourt, who scored a wonder goal in Celtic’s last game against Inverness, warned his teammates taking all three points was not a formality.

“Everybody’s looking forward to the game,” McCourt said.

“It’ll be three weeks on Saturday since we’ve had a game and obviously the last game we played ended on a sour note, throwing away a two-goal lead, so we’re all desperate to get back out there.

“Hamilton’s a hard place to go and win and I haven’t seen us go there and win easily at all.”

Celtic will still be without captain Scott Brown and Beram Kayal due to injury for the game against Hamilton, who are only kept off bottom spot by goal difference.

It is third versus fourth as Hearts welcome Inverness Caledonian Thistle to Tynecastle.

The Jambos are on an incredible run of six successive wins that has taken them to within three points of Celtic while Inverness are unbeaten away from home in over a year.

Hearts midfielder Ruben Palazuelos says it’s possible his side can split the Old Firm in the table.

“Can we finish second? Well, in football everything is possible,” the Spaniard said.

“There are only three points between us and Celtic and we have to keep going.

“We have won eight of our last nine games and have done very well, but the key is to see how we are in April or May.”

Craig Brown welcomes his former club Motherwell to Pittodrie for his first match in charge of bottom of the table Aberdeen.

The Dons’ 5-0 thrashing by Hearts last weekend was their seventh straight defeat and demoted them to the relegation spot on goal difference.

St Johnstone take on Dundee United at McDiarmid Park. A win for the hosts could see them leapfrog United in the table.

Kilmarnock welcome Hibernian to Rugby Park looking to cement a place in the top six.

Fixtures

Saturday (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Hamilton v Celtic (1245)

Aberdeen v Motherwell

Hearts v Inverness CT

Kilmarnock v Hibernian

St Johnstone v Dundee United