David Turnbull maintains Celtic won’t be caught cold by Hearts again

It is said a week is a long time in politics. In football, a fortnight can seem like several lifetimes.
David Turnbull relished having a huge crowd back for the win over Jablonec in which he netted twice and is looking for them to push Celtic on in the cup tie with Hearts. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)David Turnbull relished having a huge crowd back for the win over Jablonec in which he netted twice and is looking for them to push Celtic on in the cup tie with Hearts. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
David Turnbull relished having a huge crowd back for the win over Jablonec in which he netted twice and is looking for them to push Celtic on in the cup tie with Hearts. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Hearts will face up to Celtic for the second time across 16 days when they come to Glasgow’s east end for the clubs’ Premier Sports Cup second round tie on Sunday. But, for David Turnbull, it will only be the identity of the combatants that will be replicated from the Tynecastle club’s 2-1 win on the opening weekend of the cinch Premiership season two weeks ago. When it comes to venue, verve and viciousness with which they have been ransacking opponents, Ange Postecoglou’s men are a different proposition from that night in Gorgie. An evening when, now settled, Carl Starfelt and Kyogo Furuhashi made faltering debuts as their manager endured a third competitive game without victory.

It is a sequence that has now given way to three wins in which Celtic have bagged 13 goals – nine netted in their own environs after a 6-0 league success over Dundee was followed by Thursday’s 3-0 victory over Jablonec. Turnbull bagged a double in that, to set up his team for a Europa League play-off against AZ Alkmaar next week. And the midfielder is sure that recent performances mean Robbie Neilson’s men will be in for “a different game” to the clubs’ recent meeting.

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“That was the first game of the league season and it was tough for us. We were still trying to gel together and it maybe came a bit soon but this time we'll be ready,” he said. “It was a hard result for us to take because I thought we played well, although I knew there was still more to come from us. Now it's their turn to come to Celtic Park and the last few days have shown how well we are playing here and we can't wait to try to go and get another win.

"It was great to have the crowd back on Thursday and the boys were all talking about how they pushed us forward. That was my first experience of it as a home player, although I came here a few years ago as a Motherwell player when it was full. Last season the stands were empty and it makes a big difference having them push you on."

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