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HEARTS ON FIRE

Maybe the sole surprising aspect of Heart of Midlothian's triumph over Celtic in the Scottish top flight was just how surprised observers appeared when news of the outcome and its impact for the top of the table circulated. While this convincing victory at their home ground, which leaves the Jambos leading of the league and a significant margin ahead of their rivals, was earth-shattering in scale, nobody who has been tracking the progress of either team this campaign will have been in the least astonished by the final score.

Over the past 40 seasons, the dominance of two Glasgow clubs of Celtic and Rangers have divided the Scottish league between them, reducing the beautiful game to almost a joke in the process. Nine games into the current season it has become clear that Hearts – who count Stephen Hendry, Olympic champion and Ken Stott among their famous supporters – might just be prepared to make their move while the Glasgow duo influence is at its weakest.

THE CHAMPIONS' SLUMP

While a lot of the attention in Scotland has been on the disastrous season being suffered by the Ibrox club, the complete turmoil of the circumstances at their stadium has resulted in that the title holders' comparatively less severe decay has been allowed to worsen below the radar. The defending title winners have already dropped a considerable number from their opening nine league games this season under Brendan Rodgers. The team's boss has developed the distant look of a individual who constantly consulting his Google calendar to see how many time are remaining until his deal expires, and awoke this morning to discover the number is 246.

"No one has put in more effort in my entire tenure here," he told reporters following the loss, after they had doubted his appetite for any kind of a championship battle. "Therefore the drive is there to try and reverse the standards that we're at. It's absolutely fine, there is plenty of time."

NEW CHALLENGER

Given the horrific beginning to the campaign being endured by Rangers, Rodgers and his players could normally be anticipated to get away with their own inability to roar out of the traps, but on this occasion an capital city challenger has entered the fray. In spite of being forced to operate with a budget that is not just a tiny fraction of their rivals' as a minuscule amount in comparison, the Tynecastle outfit have added the investment and expertise of Tony Bloom to the SPL equation. In addition to putting in ten million pounds during the summer, the Brighton owner has granted the club sole use of his top secret data-driven Jamestown Analytics recruitment tool.

In an Irish defender, a Greek talent and Cláudio Braga it has allowed them to discover hidden talents from Walsall, the Slovakian top flight and the Norwegian second tier, among other exotic footballing outposts, for the combined cost of a mid-range family saloon. Seen at Tynecastle on Sunday wearing a club colours, the famously shrewd professional gambler could be seen cheering each score with the enthusiasm of a person who had almost certainly noticed the bookies had massively misjudged his side's chances of defeating the out-of-sorts title holders, and filled his boots as a result.

COACH'S REACTION

"I don't think it's a statement win," said bearded team manager the head coach after his side's latest victory, their eighth win in nine league matches. "It might be for those on the outside looking in. It might change perceptions. It might validate opinions that there's a tightrope. But let's not kid ourselves, we're really pleased with what the players have provided us. In terms of skill, we look in a good place, and definitely physically we seem in a excellent shape, so long may that continue. Naturally, it's not a position that this club is used to being in." No, the manager, it isn't. But the glorious, analytics-backed reality is that for the initial occasion in many years, Scottish football might genuinely have a championship battle that a team other than Celtic or Rangers can claim.