Stephen McGinn urges Brendan Rodgers to axe Celtic starter for Scottish Cup final vs Aberdeen

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One final push from Celtic.

What a season it has been for Scotland’s most successful club, as another Premiership title was delivered by Brendan Rodgers, including the League Cup final victory over Rangers at Hampden in December.

But now, Celtic make that very same trip, but searching for another Treble, as they face out-of-sorts Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday.

During the last few games, the Celtic manager has made a fair few changes to his XI because of rotation and injuries.

Many think that the Celtic XI that started the title-winning party game against St Mirren over the weekend will be the one that starts against Aberdeen.

But there are a fair few places up for debate, including the forward options, with Nicolas Kuhn, Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda starting the final game of the season.

• READ MORE: ScotRail’s boost to Celtic and Aberdeen fans ahead of Scottish Cup final

What should be Celtic’s XI for the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen?

Stephen McGinn was naming his XI for the final, and he has made one significant change from the team that started against St Mirren.

The Celtic-mad pundit told Go Radio that he would start a front three of James Forrest, Maeda, and Kuhn, with the unlucky Idah dropping to the bench.

McGinn noted how the Aberdeen players would be ‘worried’ about facing Forrest, rather than Kuhn or Idah, so that’s why he wants the Irishman on the bench.

“It would be Kasper Schmeichel in goals,” said McGinn. “A back four of Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales and Greg Taylor. I think that would be the back five. No doubt.

“The midfield. I would go for Callum McGregor, Arne Engels and Paulo Bernardo.

“My front three, two certain picks would be Daizen Maeda and James Forrest. I think he (Forrest) is playing really well. If I were an Aberdeen player, the way he played last Wednesday, I would be worried about James Forrest, as opposed to the form of Nicolas Kuhn or Adam Idah.

“I would go James Forrest off the left, Nicolas Kuhn off the right and Daizen Maeda through the middle.”

Idah’s last five Premiership games for Celtic rated

There has been a lot of noise around Idah, and that won’t go away because he is a striker for a pressure-cooker of a club, and because of the price tag over his head.

But, in recent weeks, the 20-goal man has earned more minutes and starts than usual, and he has rewarded his manager for it by putting the ball into the back of the net.

Yes, Idah was hooked off after 55 minutes against St Mirren, but he did come off the bench to score against Aberdeen last time out.