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We did not witness at their home ground, as it's far too early for such achievements. What this match did emphasise is that Heart of Midlothian are at least in with credible shot of ending Scottish football's 40-year dominance by two. Make that an eight-point lead for the maroon side over the visitors, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.

Turning Point in the Second Half

A brief but pivotal phase proved decisive, following a tight first half that was contested closely. It was remarkable after Hearts surged 3-1 in front was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the Tynecastle team. The Greek winger scored Hearts’ second, cutting in from the left before blasting a strike past the static Kasper Schmeichel. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender bringing down the Hearts player for a foul that Lawrence Shankland tucked away. Brendan Rodgers appeared frustrated; his problems are mounting.

Fans start to rejoice after Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.

Hoops' Reaction

Celtic bounced back from Hearts’ rapid start. Murray, who struggled throughout, conceded an own goal due to confusion when trying to remove a Shankland cross. Celtic edged their way back into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, scoring a Kieran Tierney pass for 1-1.

Solid Backline

The keeper Alexander Schwolow, who had denied from Benjamin Nygren in the first half, parried an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett thwarted a Shin Yamada attempt in stoppage time. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We stand firm” has become the popular anthem at Tynecastle. One cannot overlook the excitement.

• Full report to follow.