Are Celtic and Hearts fans really rooting for their rivals?

Celtic and Hearts supporters will find themselves in an interesting predicament in the next round of Scottish Premiership fixtures – having to root for their rivals.

Celtic travel to Hibernian on Sunday (12:00 BST) before Hearts host Rangers the following day (17:30) to top the top three battle.

The defending champions are three points behind leaders Hearts so a win at Easter Road would take them level, but trail on goal difference ahead of action at Tynecastle on Monday.

Hibs are six points adrift of fourth-placed Motherwell and five adrift of sixth-placed Falkirk, with four games still to play as the battle for European places continues.

David Gray’s side will need a lot if they are to catch Motherwell A fifth-place finish could guarantee European football In the form of the second qualifying round of the conference league. If Celtic beat Dunfermline Athletic to win the Scottish Cup.

Beating Celtic won’t do Hibs any harm in that regard, and it will also make their Edinburgh neighbors huge.

Hibs have taken four points away from Celtic Park this season, although they last won against Celtic in 2007.

Hearts fan Liam Corbett is expecting no favors from their city rivals.

“They are not going to throw the game away because they are professional footballers,” he said The BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast.

“But the edge of their game won’t be there because they will know, having sat and watched us cheer and celebrate from Sunday to Sunday, they have the opportunity to put real pressure on Hearts in Monday’s game.”

It was then that Rangers, currently third in the table, traveled across the M8 to Tynecastle.