Celtic will take on Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Celtic Park on Saturday in the Scottish Premiership. The Hoops have a pretty healthy lead at the top of the table right now and won’t be too worried by Rangers’ recent resurgence after a bad run of form. They have 28 points from 10 games and are yet to be beaten in the Premiership.
Brendan Rodgers’s boys have won nine games and have drawn just one. It was Inverness who held the current champions to a draw in their previous meeting. It finished 2-2 when the two sides met each other earlier this campaign.
Celtic could only manage a draw against Borussia Monchengladbach in the midweek in the group stage of the Champions League. A 1-1 draw against Gladbach at Borussia Park is not at all a bad result but Celtic’s hopes of progressing to the round of 16 are all but over.
Even their Europa League qualification looks very unlikely now. So, Rodgers will now shift his whole focus to the Premiership.
Celtic already have a nine-point lead over second-placed Rangers at the top of the table and that too with a game in hand. They look clear favourites against Inverness and should win the game very convincingly.
Here is the predicted Celtic lineup against Inverness.
Defence
Scottish custodian Craig Gordon will keep his place under the bar ahead of Dorus de Vries. Erik Sviatchenko will keep his place at the heart of the defence. Jozo Simunovic and Kolo Toure are both doubtful for the game after missing the Gladbach game with injuries.
We have to wait and seen whom Rodgers plays in central defence alongside Sviatchenko in the game. The fans will desperately hope that it won’t be Dedryck Boyata as the former Man City man has had a nightmarish time on the pitch on more than one occasion.
Lustig played in central defence against Gladbach in the midweek but we expect Rodgers to give a chance to young Eoghan O’Connell who bailed the Northern Irishman during an injury crisis just after he took over at Celtic.
Mikael Lustig is likely to switch to right-back while Emilio Izaguirre will continue at left-back with Tierney out injured.
Midfield
Skipper Scott Brown is enjoying a purple patch of form this season and is an assured starter in the middle of the park.
We expect Stuart Armstrong to pair up with the 31-year-old in the middle of the park. Tom Rogic is likely to start as the number ten providing the creativity.
Attack
Moussa Dembele scored his 16th goal of the season in all competitions against Borussia Monchengladbach and should keep his place up front against Inverness.
We expect Patrick Roberts to replace James Forrest on the right flank. Scott Sinclair will keep his place on the flank.
