Hearts surge toward historic title challenge after key duo return

Derek McInnes has delivered a stark warning to Celtic and Rangers: Hearts are not just in this title race—they intend to finish it. The Edinburgh club leads the Scottish Premiership by two points with just 12 games remaining, but McInnes’ focus is on the next 72 hours rather than the broader picture.

The manager’s confidence stems from the imminent return of midfield maestro Cammy Devlin and striker Lawrence Shankland, both sidelined since January with ankle and hamstring injuries respectively. Both are back in full training and set to feature against Dundee on Saturday, a match Hearts desperately need to win to maintain momentum.

McInnes dismissed any talk of fear or regret, framing the challenge as an opportunity rather than a burden. “I don’t want to talk about regrets because it’s as if it’s going to end in disappointment,” he said. “I fully believe we are going to have a special end to the season.” His rhetoric betrays a club unafraid of the pressure, instead viewing it as fuel for a run that could end 41 years of Celtic and Rangers dominance.

The duo’s absence in recent months has been stark. Devlin, widely regarded as the league’s best midfielder before his injury, and Shankland, the top scorer up to his layoff, are now back training at full intensity. McInnes confirmed both players looked “as if they’ve not been away,” a detail that has lifted morale across the squad and the Tynecastle faithful.

But the challenge remains unforgiving. Hearts have won just three of their last six league games, a run that has seen their lead shrink despite rivals stumbling in tandem. Celtic, too, have faltered in recent weeks, while Motherwell’s resurgence has added a third horse to the title fight. “When you look at the teams around us, of the last five games, we’ve won three, Celtic have won three, Motherwell have won three, Rangers have won two,” McInnes said. “Nobody’s really catching fire. Hopefully, we can be the team that does.”

McInnes is also monitoring the recovery of Harry Milne and Beni Baningime, both of whom could return against Dundee. The manager also suggested Tomas Magnusson, who fractured his cheekbone against Kilmarnock, might feature next week wearing a protective mask. “There’s little room for error,” McInnes admitted, but added: “We’re exactly where we want to be.”

The Hearts boss’s refusal to engage with doubt is tactical. By focusing on the present—on Devlin and Shankland’s fitness, on the next match, on the next training session—he is building a narrative of inevitability. Whether it holds will be decided on pitches from Dundee to Motherwell, but for now, Hearts are flying the flag for Scottish football’s underdogs.

The broader stakes are high. A Hearts title would end the longest duopoly in Scottish top-flight history and mark the first non-Celtic, non-Rangers championship since 1955. McInnes knows the weight of that history, but he is choosing to see only the path forward. “I couldn’t think of anything worse than being mid-table now,” he said. “We’re right in the middle of it and we’re exactly where we want to be.”

With Devlin pulling strings and Shankland poised to punish defences, Hearts have the tools to ignite their title push. Whether they catch fire, however, depends on whether McInnes’ conviction can outrun the ghosts of Scotland’s past.