- Published
Hearts' last trip to Parkhead ended with their crestfallen players being bundled out of a chaotic Celtic Park and back on to the team bus in their strips and boots after watching their title dream die in the space of 11 crushing minutes.
asserted
dream → publish → minutes
Meanwhile, the 800 Jambos in attendance - and the thousands back in Gorgie - were going through their own football trauma.
asserted
Jambos → go → trauma
The mere thought of ever returning to the home of the Scottish Premiership champions would have been harrowing.
asserted
thought → return → champions
However, refreshed and reshaped, Wouter Vrancken's men are embracing the trip to face a Celtic side still failing to convince a support that are becoming increasingly disgruntled after another chastening European defeat at Benfica.
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that → refresh → Benfica
Earlier this week, influential Hearts investor Tony Bloom repeated his faith in his title ambition for the Tynecastle club.
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Bloom → repeat → club
Sunday's fixture (15:00 BST) will give an indication as to whether or not that is likely to come this season.
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that → give → indication
Vrancken wants 'fire to burn' in Hearts
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fire → want → Hearts
Despite the back story to this weekend's encounter, Vrancken has demanded his side do not "live in the past".
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side → demand → past
Meanwhile, Oisin McEntee, who was part of last season's squad, has insisted the trip to Glasgow is not a revenge mission.
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trip → insist → Glasgow
Versatile McEntee scored Hearts' opener against Nordsjaelland as they raised the curtain on their Conference League campaign, but they were served a late punch in the gut in the 1-1 draw.
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they → score → draw
The Gorgie side have only won two of their past 11 away league outings, failing to keep a clean sheet in that period.
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side → win → period
However, last weekend's 5-0 win over St Mirren forms part of a run of five victories and a draw in seven matches under Vrancken after a challenging introduction to his tenure.
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win → form → tenure
Now with the opportunity to make a real statement early in his reign, the Belgian coach is urging his players not to dwell on May's heartbreak.
uncertain
coach → make → heartbreak
"I'm convinced the players will be [focused] on the game on Sunday and not in the past," he said.
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he → convince → past
"You can't live in the past.
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You → live → past
You have to move forward and look forward, and you have to take on the next one.
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you → have → one
"I hope the fire is there every game we play, and not only because something happened in the past.
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something → hope → past
You also don't look in the past too much because it is negative energy, and we need positive energy.
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we → look → energy
"This fire has to burn when you play every game, especially the top games."
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you → have → game
O'Neill views Hearts as genuine contenders
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O'Neill → view → contenders
Post-match in Lisbon on Thursday, Martin O'Neill expressed the emotions of a man who had just watched his team cruise to a 4-1 triumph.
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team → express → triumph
But the 74-year-old had just witnessed his side suffer a reverse of that, a fourth defeat in five games.
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side → witness → games
The reason for the veteran manager's upbeat vibe was because of his players' response after crumbling in the first half of their Europa League loss to Benfica.
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reason → crumble → Benfica
The performance level from the Scottish champions improved and they could have scored more than the one goal they managed in the second period, though they were also fortunate not to have shipped more.
uncertain
they → improve → more
Like last term, unrest between the fans and board is in the backdrop, but those same supporters are also growing restless at what they are watching on the pitch.
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they → grow → pitch
Despite that, Celtic have still won 14 of their past 15 league games, scoring two or more goals in 11 of those.
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Celtic → win → those
And they can go four points clear with a win on Sunday after Rangers drew at Dundee.
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Rangers → go → Dundee
They have also won 26 of their past 29 home league games against Hearts, although have lost two of their last six.
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They → win → six
Last term, Hearts picked up seven points in four league games against Celtic - the most by any non-Old Firm side in a single campaign since the 1999-00 season.
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Hearts → pick → season
O'Neill believes Hearts are genuine contenders again and is anticipating a match that will be as challenging as May's dramatic title decider.
uncertain
that → believe → decider
"I think it will be every bit as tough as it was on the last day of last season," the Celtic boss said.
"I genuinely do [think they are title challengers].
asserted
they → think → season
I know they've lost two [league] games, but overall, I do, I think they can challenge."
asserted
they → know → games
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