Celtic take on Rangers this weekend and Brendan Rodgers will speak to the media today ahead of the Premier Sports Cup final.
The Bhoys come into this one after a goalless draw in Zagreb, which has furthered their chances of securing Champions League qualification across their final two matches against Young Boys and Aston Villa.
However, domestic action takes precedence with a showpiece at Hampden on the horizon. Celtic missed out on the Premier Sports Cup last season after losing out to Kilmarnock in the second round, so there is plenty of motivation there for Brendan Rodgers to bounce back.
With the Irishman set to speak to the media later today, what are the pressing concerns supporters will want to see addressed ahead of taking on Rangers? 67 Hail Hail takes a look.
Will Alistair Johnston be fit to start for Celtic?
During the week, Rodgers addressed Alistair Johnston’s withdrawal in Zagreb at half-time and gave an early prognosis on whether he would be fit to feature against Rangers at Hampden.
He said: “Yeah, from the tackle on the side, I think it was his hip flexor or so, nothing sort of muscular, which is good. So, just felt a bit of pain, and half time, there was no need to risk that really. He got through to halftime really well. So, all being well, that will settle down in the next couple of days.”
By the sounds of things, the Canada international has a solid chance of being available for the final, but you can never be too careful with a heavy fixture schedule ahead.
Anthony Ralston stepped in for his counterpart and had a decent enough evening despite lacking recent minutes. He would likely be the next port of call should Johnston miss out.
Brendan Rodgers will be pressed on Celtic midfield competition
Taking a stab at the line-up, Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate are likely to be included, factoring in their Glasgow Derby experience and success in the fixture over recent years.
Who fills the other midfield vacancy? Paulo Bernardo started in Croatia, leaving Arne Engels to contend with a place on the bench before his second-half cameo.
Providing context to the decision, Rodgers touched on why Engels was benched in Zagreb by confirming that the decision was purely tactical.
The Irishman stated: “I just felt that with Paulo, I think we feel it’s a game where we’re going to have a lot of the ball and he’s one that’s sort of a little bit more used to our system when we have a lot of the ball a lot.
“I think it’s going to be important for the players that are on the side tonight as well to come in. So, yeah, that was the only change we felt we needed.”
Competition is high for places in the Celtic engine room. Luke McCowan is cup-tied this weekend, creating a straight shootout for the third midfield berth between Bernardo and Engels.
Celtic’s selection debates in other areas ahead of Rangers clash
Bernardo and Engels aren’t the only two fighting for a slot this weekend, as Celtic have points of contention encompassing most positions heading into the Premier Sports Cup final.
Auston Trusty would be most people’s tip to start alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers in central defence, but Liam Scales cannot be counted out amid his excellent for this season.
On the same token, picking between Greg Taylor and Alex Valle will be an unenviable challenge for Rodgers this weekend. Both bring diverging qualities in the left-back role, so it will be a choice between control or athleticism that the Irishman has to weigh up.
Finally, Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah sit on the exact same goal tally at this stage in the season. The former has produced wonderful moments on derby day over the years, but you only need to look back to Idah’s Scottish Cup-winning goal last year to make a case for his inclusion.
Rodgers will have questions to answer with silverware on the line. Stick with us on 67 Hail Hail for instant coverage and analysis following his press conference.
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