It was a brutal defeat for Celtic when they clashed heads with Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park. A 7-1 humiliation against the German giants exposed the mediocrity of Scottish football, also, Brendan Rodgers must take the blame for not changing the approach despite encountering the European heavyweights on Tuesday night. But they are expected to bounce back on Sunday afternoon with another emphatic victory versus Ross County in Dingwall.
While the Hoops are expected to dominate the domestic games, the manager should rest several first-team players on the road to avoid fatigue and fitness woes. The Staggies have grabbed seven points from seven games with just one win in the Premiership, and they must punch above their weight to cause an upset at Victoria Park.
Predicted 4-3-3 Celtic Lineup To Face Ross County
Defence
Kasper Schmeichel enjoyed his Celtic stint until the Dortmund game. He was dreadful against the Prussians but should aim for a clean sheet this weekend to maintain the incredible record of not conceding a single goal so far in the league.
The absence of Cameron Carter-Vickers is a massive blow for the Bhoys. The USMNT centre-half could miss the game with an ongoing foot injury and his compatriot Auston Trusty might feature again alongside Liam Scales in the heart of the backline. Alistair Johnston had a dismal outing down the right and a back problem forced him to leave the pitch late in the tie. Anthony Ralston must grab the starting status, but the Parkhead boss might still rely on left fullback Greg Taylor despite his dreading display against the Bundesliga hotshots. Alex Valle was the shining light since replacing the Scotsman at half-time and it is to be seen whether he secures some minutes as a second-half substitute.
Midfield
Although there is no competition for the ‘number 6’ slot occupied by skipper Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate has lately faced competition from Paulo Bernardo in the middle of the park. However, the Portuguese might make way for the Japanese ace who was brought in at half-time after conceding five goals before the break. Arne Engels has cemented his place as an outright ‘number 8’ since replacing Matt O’Riley late in the summer window. Luke McCowan might get involved as well having impressed as a ‘super sub’.
Attack
Adam Idah wasted a goal-scoring opportunity late in the match but should still start the game as an outright ‘number 9’ ahead of Kyogo Furuhashi. Daizen Maeda scored an early equalizer against BVB and his spot down the left-hand flank remains uncontested due to Luis Palma’s below-par performances. James Forrest might get the nod down the right in favour of a rotation with Nicolas Kuhn.
