Celtic Prepares for Falkirk Showdown Following Draw with Dundee United
Celtic displayed a lackluster performance on Wednesday night, settling for a 2-2 draw against Dundee United at Parkhead. Despite this outcome, the Hoops maintain a four-point lead over Old Firm rivals Rangers at the top of the Premiership standings. However, improvements will be necessary as they face a confident Falkirk side on Sunday afternoon.
Last season, Celtic triumphed in all five encounters against Falkirk across various competitions, and they continued this trend with a 2-1 victory in the earlier fixture this season. Falkirk, on the other hand, arrives with momentum, having secured consecutive victories against Hibernian, Kilmarnock, and Aberdeen. Manager John McGlynn aims to cause an upset with the support of their faithful fans at Westfield.
Predicted 4-2-3-1 Celtic Lineup To Face Falkirk
Defence
Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone faced criticism for not preventing Neil Farrugia’s goal in the last match, yet he is expected to retain his position as the starting keeper, having recently usurped Viljami Sinisalo.
Celtic will miss Alistair Johnston, who had to leave the pitch early against Hibernian due to injury. In his absence, Colby Donovan is likely to hold his spot as right-back. Although Cameron Carter-Vickers has returned to the squad after injury, Celtic’s management, led by Martin O’Neill, may choose to rest him on the artificial surface. Given the personal leave of Auston Trusty, Dane Murray is expected to partner with Liam Scales in a deep defensive role. Kieran Tierney will aim to balance defensive duties and attacking support on the left side.
Midfield
Captain Callum McGregor will take charge of the midfield as a deep-lying playmaker, enabling Mika Baur to advance the ball into offensive positions. The duo will likely function as a ‘double pivot’, with Baur adding creativity in attacking phases. Consistently effective, Benjamin Nygren has been a force as a ‘number 10’, and the trio is anticipated to interchange positions throughout the match. Oliver Sorensen and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remain preferred options off the bench, ahead of Luke McCowan and Joel van den Berg.
With Yang Hyun-jun sidelined, O’Neill may select Haissem Hassan and Callum Osmand to occupy the wide positions, while Jota and James Forrest might enter the fray to make an impact later in the game.
Attack
Striker Kasper Høgh has struggled in his role, prompting the manager to consider Camilo Duran, who may perform more effectively as a traditional ‘number 9’ instead of his current position as a right-wing player.
