Auston Trusty and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain both need to start for Celtic

After producing diabolical displays in our last two fixtures, it’s vital that Celtic get our collective act together for today’s home clash with the Rangers in the Scottish Premiership. A win extends our lead over the lates Ibrox club to EIGHT points going into the international break.

To get just that, we need to select the correct personnel, and two players who were absent from last week’s starting XI, at Ibrox in my opinion should be certs to start at Paradise later today. Those two players are Auston Trusty and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

For whatever reason, Trusty has been overlooked in favour of Liam Scales for the last two fixtures, despite the big American being at his best when the side are required to defend for large periods of the game.

He also provides us with a physical presence, which is ideal for both defence and attack, particularly when it comes to set plays.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who was unavailable for the Ferencvaros clash due to serving a suspension, is a player who would provide us with much needed experience and ability in the middle of the park, an area of our side that’s been exposed badly in recent games.

The OX is not a typical ‘number six’ by any stretch, but he’s played at the top level long enough to know how to control a game, and he’d take the burden off the recently much maligned Callum McGregor.

Calmac and The OX could utilise their experience and ability to control proceedings in the middle of the park, and leave the attacking side of the game to Benjamin Nygren or Mika Baur, depending on who is selected as the third option by Martin O’Neill.

Trusty who didn’t feature at all at Ibrox or against Ferencvaros on Thursday will give us a fresh pair of legs, as will Oxlade-Chamberlain who missed out on Thursday due to suspension, and was a second half substitute at Ibrox last Sunday.

We need our best players fit and ready to start, and Auston Trusty, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain certainly fall under that category. I expect both to start today.