Anthony Stokes will start today’s League Cup Final against Kilmarnock.
The Irish striker was left on the bench for both of last season’s cup finals but is included in Neil Lennon’s starting XI at Hampden.
Stokes has scored in Celtic’s last two matches, at Aberdeen and Dundee United, and partners Gary Hooper in attack as Celtic attempt to win the first trophy of the season.
In six domestic cup ties this season Stokes has scored seven goals including a double against Falkirk in the League Cup semi-final.
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Geogios Samaras starts the match on the bench with Joe Ledley playing wide on the left, Scott Brown partnering Victor Wanyama in centre midfield and James Forrest on the right.
In defence Kelvin Wilson returns to the side to partner Thomas Rogne with Adam Matthews and Charlie Mulgrew at full back in front of Fraser Forster.
Korean duo Cha Du-Ri and Ki Sung Yeung join Samaras on the bench alongwith Kris Commons and Lucasz Zaluska.
CELTIC: Forster; Matthews, Wilson, Rogne, Mulgrew; Forrest, Brown, Wanyama, Ledley: Stokes, Hooper
SUBS Zaluska, Ca, Ki, Commons, Samaras
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KILMARNOCK: Bell, Fowler, Nelson, Sissoko, Gordon, Kelly, Buijs, Shiels, Hay, Harkins, Heffereman
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we were terrible today and wilson cost us the cup.
why samaras wasnt on sooner or from the start begars belive.
hooper and forrest also terrible but wilson who in my mind is always a disaster waiting to happen and the way he lost the player he was marking for their goal was lazy and unforgiveable.
im not happy.
what a waste.
u have to question our mentallity for winning when it really matters for we failed badly today.
Oh well just have to wait till next week for the big party. Dont be too down its just one of those things HAIL HAIL
We again had players out of position…Mulgrew would NOT be a Celtic regular if could only play left back, he is MUCH better at central defence, while Ledley was annonymous at left midfield again much better in a central position.
Strikers saw very little of any real quality, what little they did was wasted. But weeks ago v St. Mirren we sat and watched as the team struggled, knowing things needed changing…today we sat and waited too long.
It’s no use being outnumbered in midfield, they had one striker so we should have changed to a back 3…at worst moving Mulgrew into a midfield position and move Ledley inside.
The decision to take of Rogne was puzzling…Hooper, Ledley, Forrest (again switched to a non-productive left wing beat).
Hopefully this will allow the team to re-focus on the only prize that really matters…the title, anything else is mere window dressing.