Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has a squad that is almost entirely injury-free for the visit of St Mirren in the 5th Round of the Scottish Cup this evening.
Goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist is the only absentee for this one, following defender Anthony Ralston’s return to the fold over the last week.
With so many top talents to choose from, who will the Bhoys boss go for in the 5:30pm kick-off? Here’s our best go at an eleven for this one…
Siegrist may well have been given an opportunity today were it not for injury. He did get minutes in the Scottish League Cup earlier this season. However, it likely to be Joe Hart between the sticks today.
An unchanged back four of Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Carl Starfelt and Greg Taylor seems like a safe bet. We know Postecoglou likes defensive consistency and Ralston is likely to be gradually returned from the bench than handed an immediate start.
In midfield is where we may see the biggest change and it could be a full starting debut for Tomoki Iwata. Postecoglou has been given the J-League MVP minutes off the bench in recent weeks but this appears to be a fine opportunity to see what he can do in a starting eleven.
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That may not even mean a day of rest for Callum McGregor either. The manager has spoken about both players being able to play in the same team and McGregor could be moved forward in a more advanced role.
That leaves plenty of other options for the other midfield slot including Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley and David Turnbull. But it’s hard to see past the current form of Aaron Mooy who, with no mid-week game, will be fresh and ready.
A front three of Jota, Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi has the danger needed to punish St Mirren from any opportunities. With talents such as Liel Abada and Hyeongyu Oh ready to go from the bench, we should have more than enough firepower to progress.
Your predicted XI in full is: Hart, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Taylor, Iwata, McGregor, Mooy, Jota, Maeda, Kyogo.
