Hearts suffer heavy defeat at Celtic in Scottish Premiership

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 18 Oct, 18:43 · Archive

Hearts lost heavily to Celtic, extending their struggles at Parkhead.

Hearts travelled to Celtic Park for Sunday's fixture knowing the ground held painful memories; their title dream had been ended there the previous May. Manager Wouter Vrancken's side took on a Celtic team that has struggled in recent weeks, including a defeat to Benfica in European competition.

The match proved disastrous for Hearts, who conceded heavily. The Daily Mail reported that Hearts put in their worst performance under investor Tony Bloom's involvement with the club, with significant flaws exposed in the team's display. The damage inflicted felt too significant for many supporters to view title ambitions as realistic given the gulf in performance.

Hearts now sit eight points behind Celtic and four points behind Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, with almost 30 games remaining in the season. The loss comes after Bloom reiterated this week his belief that Hearts will be crowned Scottish champions within the next ten years, though the scale of the defeat will test both the patience of supporters and the resolve of the squad.

How it is being reported

• CELTIC 7 HEARTS 1: Another Tynecastle title dream dies a death at Celtic Park as Vrancken's men are ruthlessly ripped apartEarlier this week, Tony Bloom reaffirmed his vision for Hearts and spoke of his belief that they will be crowned champions of Scotland within the next ten years.Daily Mail Sport · 18 Oct, 18:24
• Can Hearts prove credentials at scene of title heartbreak?Hearts' last trip to Parkhead ended with their title dream being crushed in the space of 11 minutes. They return to face Celtic on Sunday refreshed and reshaped.BBC Sport · 17 Oct, 19:37

In this story: Hearts · Celtic · Tony Bloom · Wouter Vrancken · Parkhead · Rangers

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