Falkirk v Celtic – Team News, Referee Details, Kick-Off Time & Where to Watch
Celtic will make the 29 miles trip to the Falkirk stadium tomorrow looking to collect the three points to open up a seven point advantage at the top of the Scottish Premiership…
Despite plenty of troubles in European football, Celtic enter the second round of matches having lost one, draw one and won nine of the games, now having faced every side in the league.
John McGlynn’s side started the season poorly but have found some significant form in recent weeks, picking up maximum points from their last three matches, most recently picking up all three points against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Celtic dropped two points against Dundee United in midweek, in a confused performance and team selection which resulted in the Celtic captain Callum McGregor observing that Celtic needs to stop playing ‘basketball’.
Celtic Team News
Auston Trusty is unavailable as he is back home in the States attending a celebration of his late father’s life with his family. Alistair Johnston is sidelined with a hamstring injury and while Joel van den Berg is back on the grass with the first team squad, this match will be too early for him. Yang remains sidelined for a week or two longer after his injury picked up at the recent Asian Cup.
Martin O’Neill is currently giving Sam Johnstone a run of first team games before deciding if the former England goalkeeper will be his first pick keeper for the rest of the season ahead of Viljami Sinisalo.
Cameron Carter-Vickers is fit and available and as Celtic’s best central defender really should be including in the starting eleven. Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers would have had fit CCV as a first name on the teamsheet, so hopefully Martin does the same tomorrow.
With Trusty unavailable, Liam Scales will start at the left hand side of Celtic central defence with Colby Donovan at right back and Kieran Tierney at left back.
What can be done about Celtic’s middle three? Mika Baur must start and it’s hard to imagine Callum McGregor dropping to the bench, unless his midweek comments have ruffled feathers. The manager though said he agreed with what the captain said, so he starts. Maybe it’s worth dropping Benjamin Nygren to the bench and bringing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain into the side? He certain merits a start and is being wasted as an unused sub, or getting the last quarter of an hour occasionally.
Muddled thinking in midweek saw Kasper Hogh play centre forward but with no wingers then when the wingers arrived he departed the scene will his scoring drought extended. Play Hogh through the middle and have Haissem Hassan on the right wing. On the left wing it would be tempting to start Jota but taking into account the artificial surface and his injury issues, it might be best for him to sit this one out. Camilo Duran could be asked to play wide left, and he’ll still be looking for a goal.
Celtic Manager’s View
Inside Training
Predicted Celtic Team (4-3-3)
Johnstone; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Baur, Oxlade Chamberlain; Hassan, Hogh and Duran.
Subs: Sinisalo, Jota, Emenalo, Sorensen, Murray, Nygren, Osmand, Mheuka, Forrest.
Match Officials
The Scottish FA has confirmed that referee Duncan Nicolson will have the whistle and that he will be assisted by both Frank Connor and Daniel McFarlane. Daniel Graves will be the fourth official with Greg Aitken (remember him!) is on VAR duties assisted by Duncan Williams as the AVAR.
Kick-off Time
Falkirk v Celtic in the Scottish Premiership takes place at the Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk on Sunday 1st November with a 1pm kick-off.
Where to Watch
The Falkirk v Celtic match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football, with the pre-match build-up starting at 12.30pm. CelticPlayer will also be showing the match live for subscribers based outside of Britain and Ireland.
Highlights will be shown on Sportscene on the BBC Scotland channel on Sunday evening at 7.15pm, with the programme repeated on BBC One Scotland at 11.10pm.
Predicted Score
A tough old challenge for the Hoops but hopefully the quality will shine through with Martin O’Neill side going seven points clear after a hard-fought 2-0 victory with goals from Duran and Hogh.
COYBIG!
