Leigh Griffiths, Alexsandar Tonev, Beram Kayal and Nir Bitton are all in the Celtic side for tonight’s Development League clash with Hearts with Ronny Deila watching from the stand at Cappielow.
Griffiths and Tonev appeared as second half substitutes in yesterday’s first team win over Kilmarnock with Ronny Deila using the Development League to sharpen up the players match fitness.
Tonight’s match had been scheduled for Tuesday night but with it being brought forward gives the first team players an extra 48 hours recovery before Wednesday’s League Cup tie with Partick Thistle.
Two weeks ago Griffiths and Stefan Scepovic played and scored in the 2-0 win over Hamilton in the Development League with the former Sporting Gijon man going on to score for the first team against Astra and Kilmarnock.
Under Neil Lennon first team players were rarely involved in Development League matches but with five overage players allowed in what used to be the u-20 league Deila is taking full advantage of the set up to give his first teamers crucial match practice.
Celtic go into the match on the back of their first defeat of the season losing 2-1 away to leaders Aberdeen with Eoghan O’Connell scoring the only goal of the match.
After seven matches the hoops are sitting on 14 points, eight behind Aberdeen but with two games in hand.
On Sunday the action switches to the SFA Youth Cup when Celtic entertain Motherwell at Cappielow, kick-off 2pm.
You can follow tonight’s action on TWITTER
CELTIC: Fasan; Lindsay, Kelleher, Findlay, Waters; Kayal, Bitton, Henderson; McMullan, Griffiths, Tonev
SUBS: Hart, Donnelly, McCart, Thomson, Tierney, Wardrop, Breslin
