Celtic are gearing up for an enormous Glasgow Derby clash this weekend, which could give Brendan Rodgers’ side a major boost in their hunt to win the Scottish Premiership.
Rodgers will have several selection dilemmas heading to Ibrox, given that Callum McGregor is set to return to contention before Sunday lunchtime.
As a consequence, Tomoki Iwata could drop to the bench to make way for our club captain, with Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate likely to be our other two bodies in the engine room.
Nicolas Kuhn has Hyunjun Yang and James Forrest to contend with as competitors for a start on the right flank; meanwhile, Kyogo Furuhashi is the favourite to spearhead the attack as a lone forward.
Curveballs have long been a tactic to catch teams off-guard in these types of matches; however, it would be hard to imagine Rodgers making a sea of changes to his starting line-up, which is finally starting to reflect a semblance of continuity.
Losing simply isn’t an option in Govan, signifying the need for the Bhoys to get off to a swift start once the action gets underway.
Alan Stubbs thinks Callum McGregor will be pivotal for Celtic
Scotland international McGregor offers qualities on the pitch that transcend his ability, and his leadership, alongside taking on the role of being Celtic’s standard-bearer, will likely be vital on Sunday.
Former Hoops man Alan Stubbs agrees with this sentiment, paying tribute to McGregor’s ability to handle the occasion on the horizon, which he has led by example in throughout his career at Parkhead.
Stubbs stated [Daily Record]: “McGregor will be a factor if he is fit for the game. All of his experience will be needed and, like Carter-Vickers and any influential player, it’s what he does for the other players that is just as important as what he brings to the team himself.
“He is going to be so important and when you look through the spine of their team now, Celtic are starting to look a lot stronger. They have better options now.
“One area where Celtic have an advantage is they have been there and done it before with some of the players. They know how to handle the occasion.”
Celtic know what they need to do at Ibrox
Celtic have a habit of turning up when it matters against their rivals; however, they know nothing can be taken for granted this weekend against a side that will be equally determined to claim a result.
Nevertheless, Rodgers has managed to claim maximum points against Rangers this term, which can hopefully be a good omen for what is to come on Sunday.
Undoubtedly, the Irishman will need to rely on his key men to turn his aspirations into reality, making for an exciting spectacle that can hopefully have a happy ending as we continue our pursuit of a domestic double.
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