McInnes believes Hearts are gearing up for decisive Premiership clash with Celtic

Hearts, leading Celtic by a single point at the top of the table, require four points from their remaining two fixtures to secure one of the greatest upsets in Scottish football annals.

A win against Falkirk at Tynecastle on Wednesday would clinch the championship if Motherwell, sitting fourth, overcomes Martin ONeills Celtic. If not, the outcome will hinge on the Glasgow encounter this Saturday.

The club last claimed the league in 1960, and since Aberdeens victory under Alex Ferguson in 1985, only Rangers and Celtic have lifted the Scottish crown.

I have long anticipated that Celtic will prevail over Motherwell, so I am mentally set for the final match and ready for it, McInnes remarked on Tuesday.

There are no straightforward fixtures for anyone, nothing is simple. Motherwell possess real quality. They showed full dedication when facing us, and I expect the same level of effort against Celtic.

Ahead of Wednesdays game, McInnes plans for the team briefing to concentrate solely on Falkirk, steering clear of title speculation.

For some time, I have held the conviction that this squad can conquer the league, an unwavering faith in our approach, he added.

We have been resisting two dominant forces for quite a while. We have already dispatched Rangers, and now we must do the same to Celtic in these last two outings.

The evidence demonstrates our excellent handling of the pressure. We have shattered a club points record and locked in a Champions League qualifying spot, yet our aim is to achieve even more by taking the title.

The defending champions Celtic, victors in 13 of the last 14 Scottish leagues, trailed Hearts by five points after a 2-0 defeat at Dundee United in March.

However, they have since strung together six consecutive wins across competitions, featuring a 3-1 triumph over Rangers in the recent Glasgow derby.

ONeill, who managed Celtic from 2000 to 2005, is back for his second tenure this term.

He resumed in January for the seasons end, succeeding Wilfried Nancy following an initial caretaker period.

The atmosphere at Celtic Park last Sunday echoed my earlier experiences there, which has been fantastic, noted ONeill, aged 74.

We have also triumphed in key away games, so this mix of results positions us well.