Daly tips Gordon for starring role at Hampden

WITH Celtic missing key players due to coronavirus and injury and going three games without winning for the first time in over two years as a result, the other teams in the William Hill Scottish Cup would appear to have an excellent opportunity to end their reign as champions.

Aberdeen, who drew 3- 3 with the Parkhead club at Pittodrie in an entertaining Premiership encounter at the weekend, will certainly fancy their chances of beating their Glasgow rivals in the semi- final at Hampden on Sunday.

And Hearts and Hibernian, who play on Saturday evening, will be quietly confident of lifting the trophy should they go through to face a side whose defence has been porous since play resumed after the international break.

Jon Daly, the former Rangers striker and Hearts coach who won the Scottish Cup during his time as a Dundee United player, certainly feels they all have an outside chance of getting their hands on the silverware – yet, he still fully expects Scott Brown and his team- mates to emerge from their dip in form and prevail once again come December.

“Every player in that Celtic squad is a serial winner who knows how to win trophies and get the job done,” said Daly. “They have good memories of being at Hampden. Regardless of Celtic’s form, I still see them as the favourites to win the competition.

“Aberdeen will take heart from the game on Sunday and will try to use that to get through to the final. Even if Celtic hadn’t wobbled, I think it’s still open. One- off games always give you an opportunity. But it’s going to be very difficult.

“Celtic are the team to beat. With the players at their disposal, I think it’s going to be tough for the other three teams to win it, but certainly not impossible.”

Daly, though, reckons having three- time winner Craig Gordon in goals will be invaluable to Championship club Hearts in their semi- final against their Edinburgh rivals Hibs and, should they progress, the final.

“The fact that he’s come from a club where he’s been successful, won trophies and been in that winning environment is important,” he said. “That’s the environment that’s expected at Hearts. They’re expected to win and they’re expected to win in the Championship comfortably.

“He’s been a massive asset already. On Friday night [ in the 1- 0 win over Arbroath at Gayfield], you saw the saves he made in the first- half to keep the game at 0- 0. When you have a good goalkeeper, they’re worth their weight in gold.”

Jon Daly was speaking to promote Premier Sports coverage of the Scottish Cup semi- final match Hearts v Hibernian live and exclusive from 4: 30pm on Saturday. Premier Sports is available on Sky, Virgin TV and the Premier Player. Prices start from £ 9.99 per month.