Brendan Rodgers’ first league game as Celtic manager was at Tynecastle back in August 2016, when Scott Sinclair came off the bench to score and give his new team a 2-1 win.

And it was at the same stadium the following April that Sinclair netted a hat-trick in a 5-0 victory to secure the title for the Hoops, the second part of what would be a historic Invincible Treble that season.

So the Irishman knows all about the venue as he heads there for the first time since returning to Paradise as manager back in June.

He’s anticipating a difficult contest, but it’s one that he and his team are looking forward to as they aim to maintain their strong position at the top of the Scottish Premiership season.

Speaking ahead on Sunday’s game, the Celtic manager said: “They’re all tough games up here, there’s never an easy game and you have to earn the right and it’ll be the same at the weekend.

'We’re entering into a run of games now which is really exciting, and Tynecastle is the first of those.'

“So we’ll prepare well, we’ll look to work how we have been and look to play with our intensity and work-rate, and then hopefully our quality can come through.

“Domestically, in terms of results it’s been fairly good, with seven wins out of eight – the St Johnstone game at home, we should have won.

“The performances are gradually getting better as we go through the season and work together. The only blemish was the cup game, which I was bitterly disappointed about, but with that comes learning and progress hopefully.

“And throughout everything that’s been thrown at us since the start of the season, with injuries and everything else, the players have come through it really well.

“So we’re sat in a good place early on, but it is really early. There is a lot of work to do.”

Celtic’s impressive Premiership form in September, which saw them beat Rangers, Dundee, Livingston and Motherwell, was recognised with Matt O’Riley being named Player of the Month and Brendan Rodgers picking up the Manager of the Month Award.

And the Celtic boss says that the recognition is one that is shared out amongst everyone working as part of his team.

“It’s a great testament to how consistent the players were and how well they’ve done and performed,” he said, “and for the staff here at the club.

'I’m obviously the figurehead for the team but there is a lot of great work which goes on behind that, so it’s congratulations to everybody.'

“We’ve got seven games in 21 days so there’s a lot of work going into that, but it’s a really exciting run of games, and we don’t assume coming off the back of doing really well that it will just continue.

“It’s hard work, a relentless mentality every single day, and then taking that intensity into the game. So that’s our aim for the weekend.”

The manager also confirmed that Daizen Maeda, who did not go away with the Japan national squad after picking up a knock in the recent game against Kilmarnock, has been back training and is available for Sunday, while Maik Nawrocki has also returned to full training with the Celtic squad.

WATCH BRENDAN RODGERS’ FULL PRESS CONFERENCE BELOW:

Manager's thoughts on the Hearts game
Away ticket allocations
Squad injury update
Early season form of Liam Scales and Matt O'Riley

Manager: Every game is tough and Tynecastle trip will be no different