The possible XI that Brendan Rodgers could select to start this evening for the Hoops.
Celtic will be hoping to kick off 2024 in style as they travel away from Parkhead to take on St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership this evening.
The Hoops head into this match off the back of three straight wins in the top-flight and are eight points clear at the top of the table, albeit having played two more matches than their closest rivals.
Brendan Rodgers’ side ran out 2-1 winners in the Old Firm clash last time out as goals from Paulo Bernardo and Kyogo Furuhashi secured all three points.
However, the Northern Irish head coach is now set to be without Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate as they head off to play for Japan at the Asia Cup, although Kyogo has not been selected for his country.
The former Leicester boss could now make some alterations to the starting XI that beat Rangers on Saturday. With that in mind, here is FFC’s predicted Celtic XI to take on St Mirren…
Rodgers could stick with Joe Hart as his number one once again. The former England international has kept eight clean sheets in 20 appearances so far this term.
Celtic have been touted with an interest in Ipswich Town goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky and that could motivate the English stopper to improve his performances to convince the club to avoid dipping into the market to sign a new goalkeeper.
The first change to the XI could come at right-back as Alistair Johnston could be taken out of the firing line to provide Anthony Ralston with a chance to shine.
Johnston’s performance against Rangers was embroiled in controversy as his alleged handball when contesting Abdallah Sima in the box has led to the opposition requesting audio from VAR to explain why no decision was made.
The Canada international was also somewhat fortunate not to receive a second yellow during the second half as he was penalised for an elbow on Sima whilst also on a booking.
Ralston could now come in to replace the defender. The Scottish full-back has made nine Premiership appearances this season and made 1.7 key passes per match.
The second alteration could come at the heart of the defence after Stephen Welsh was forced off during the first half on Saturday with a shoulder injury.
This forced Rodgers to bring Maik Nawrocki into the match after just 35 minutes but the Polish defender did not take any time to get into the match as he went on to enjoy a fantastic performance.
The summer signing made four clearances, three blocks, two interceptions, and two tackles in just 55 minutes of action at Parkhead.
As you can see from the table above, the 22-year-old colossus has been rarely used in the Premiership this season but has impressed when called upon with vital defensive contributions, which is why he should be rewarded with a start against St Mirren.
Alongside Nawrocki, Rodgers should once again select Liam Scales on the left side of the central defensive pairing. The Irish ace won 100% (4/4) of his ground duels against Rangers as he snuffed out any danger from Cyriel Dessers on the deck with ease.
Another player who could keep their place in the starting line-up is left-back Greg Taylor. The Scotland international was dominant on Saturday as he won an outstanding 100% of his nine duels, including five on the deck and four in the air.
In the middle of the park, Paulo Bernardo deserves to keep his place in midfield. The Portuguese starlet scored his second goal in as many matches with a terrific volley to open the scoring against Rangers.
He also showed grit and determination with three tackles won and seven of his 12 duels won, which shows that the young gem can get stuck in as well as being able to provide quality in the final third.
Callum McGregor is another player who should start once again. The Celtic leader and captain completed 94% of his attempted passes and created two chances against the Gers in what was a composed performance.
Matt O’Riley had to battle through the game on Saturday as his nose was left bloodied and needed treatment. The Denmark international stuck with it and did not allow the blow to affect his performance.
The third and final change to the XI could come on the right wing as Liel Abada could finally be unleashed after his injury issues this season.
He made his return off the bench against Rangers and that was his first appearance for the club in any competition since the start of September
Abada, who was once hailed as a “revelation” by Alan Hutton, could replace Maeda, who struggled on the wing at Parkhead on Saturday.
The Japan international lost six of his eight duels and failed to complete a single dribble or create a chance for his teammates in 83 minutes.
Abada produced one goal, one assist, and two ‘big chances’ created in his first four league appearances of the campaign before his injury and could provide a spark out wide on the right for the Scottish giants.
Kyogo Furuhashi should lead the line for the Hoops this evening after his wondergoal at the weekend. The Japan international produced an outrageous left-footed effort into the top corner from the edge of the box to beat a fully-stretched Jack Butland to make it 2-0 at the time.
Finally, Rodgers should select Luis Palma once again on the left wing as the Honduras international has been a constant threat throughout the campaign.
The 23-year-old magician has produced five goals, nine assists, and 11 ‘big chances’ created in 13 Premiership starts since his move from Aris over the summer.
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