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JAMBOS BLAZING

Maybe the only surprising aspect of Hearts' triumph over Celtic in the Scottish Premiership was the extent to which surprised observers appeared when reports of the result and its impact for the summit of the table emerged. While this 3-1 win at their home ground, which puts the Edinburgh side leading of the table and a significant margin ahead of Celtic, was earth-shattering in scale, nobody who has been tracking the fortunes of both squad this campaign will have been even remotely astonished by the result.

Over the last 40 seasons, the Glasgow duopoly of Celtic and Rangers have divided the Scottish league between them, turning fitba to something of a joke in the process. Nine games into the present season it has become apparent that Hearts – who count Stephen Hendry, Sir Chris Hoy and renowned actor among their celebrity fans – might just be ready to make their move while the Glasgow duo iron is at its weakest.

THE CHAMPIONS' DECLINE

While much of the focus in the Scottish game has been on the absolute bin-fire being suffered by the Ibrox club, the complete turmoil of the circumstances at Ibrox has meant that the title holders' slightly less terminal decline has been allowed to fester below the radar. The reigning champions have already lost 10 points from 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 days are left until his contract ends, and awoke this day to discover the number is over two hundred.

"No one has put in more effort in all my time here," he told reporters following the loss, after they had questioned his appetite for any kind of a title fight. "So the motivation is present to attempt to flip the standards that we're at. It's absolutely fine, it's still so early."

NEW CHALLENGER

Considering the horrific start to the campaign being endured by Rangers, the Celtic boss and his men could typically be anticipated to get away with their own failure to start strongly, but this year an Edinburgh disruptor has entered the mix. In spite of being forced to operate with a budget that isn't so much a small portion of their rivals' as a minuscule amount in comparison, the Tynecastle outfit have added the investment and expertise of a renowned businessman to the Scottish Premiership mix. In addition to putting in £10m during the off-season, the Premier League figurehead has granted Hearts exclusive use of his highly confidential data-driven Jamestown Analytics recruitment tool.

In an Irish defender, a Greek talent and Cláudio Braga it has allowed them to discover unpolished gems from an English lower-league side, the Slovakian top flight and the Norway's second division, among other lesser-known leagues, for the combined cost of a modest car. Spotted at Tynecastle on matchday wearing a club colours, the famously shrewd sports betting expert could be observed cheering each goal with the gusto of a person who had likely noticed the oddsmakers had greatly misjudged his side's prospects of defeating the out-of-sorts title holders, and placed large bets accordingly.

MANAGER'S REACTION

"I don't think it's a message-sending victory," said bearded team manager Derek McInnes after his team's latest victory, their eighth in nine outings. "It might be for others on the outside looking in. It could alter perceptions. It may confirm opinions that there's a fine line. But we must be realistic, we are delighted with what the lads have provided us. In terms of skill, we look in a strong position, and definitely physically we look in a good place, so we hope it persists. Of course, this is not a situation that this club is used to being in." No, the manager, it is not. But the wonderful, analytics-backed reality is that for the first time in ages, Scottish football might actually have a championship battle that a team other than the traditional powers can claim.