Summer signing’s Amido Balde and Steve Mouyokolo both start for Celtic against Liverpool in the Dublin Decider.
Neil Lennon has made wholesale changes from the side that drew with Elfsborg in midweek with Lucasz Zaluska and Tony Watt also drafted into the team.
With the final qualifying round of the Champions League just ten days away Scott Brown, Kris Commons, Georgios Samaras and Charlie Mulgrew have been left in Glasgow.
Appropriately today’s side’s will both be managed by Irishmen with Lennon turning to Brendan Rodgers in the early days of his coaching career.
“The time I spent with Brendan was a real eye-opener for me,” the Celtic boss revealed.
“I was still young on the coaching side of things. The way Brendan perceives the game and his philosophy on the training ground was fantastic to watch. I picked up so much from him.
“He has carved out a fantastic career for himself already and I’m very proud of him. I’m proud of what he achieved at Swansea and the way he has handled the Liverpool job so far both on and off the field.”
Having worked with Lennon Rodgers was delighted to follow Celtic’s success in last season’s Champions League.
“The work Neil has done there has been incredible,” he said. “I know the club and the status and size of it and the pressure the job holds. There aren’t many jobs where the pressure is to win every single game.
“The achievements in the Champions League have been phenomenal. Last year, the Barcelona game, to tactically organise his team that well, they shouldn’t have lost the game away and to win the home game, he showed all the credentials to be a top European coach.
“He has done great credit to Scottish football and Celtic. I hold him very highly.”
CELTIC: Zaluska; Matthews, Lustig, Mouyokolo, Izaguirre; McGeouch, Kayal, Irvine, Stokes; Balde, Watt
SUBS: Forster, Findlay, Fisher, Herron, Henderson, Atajic, George.
LIVERPOOL: Mignolet: Johnson, Toure, Wisdom, Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard, Allen, Downing, Aspas, Coutinho.
SUBS: Jones, Alberto, Assaidi, Henderson, Sturridge, Coates, Borini, Sterling, Kelly, Flanagan, Ibe.
Just getting ready to go in and tune into CELTIC TV.
Looking forward to the game, it will be interesting to see the set up crowd wise.
I hope a great time’s had by all.
COYBIG!
HH
All credit to everyone involved today, might just have been a friendly but still a game both sides wanted to win. Liverpool threw all their big guns on while Celtic almost finished up with a youth side. Tremendous experience for them and I can definitely see some making the step up in the coming season. Certainly won’t let the team down that’s for sure. Delighted once again with Darnell Fisher playing well at right back but I can see him returning to a midfield role again in future.
Just watch the Celtic young Bhoy play Liverpool all the bhoy played well fisher and filnley where very good I think we Have a good bunch of young bhoys And we won the game well do Celtic Hail Hail
I thought Balde looked more confident today and taken aback slightly with the reception he got when he put it in the net…. Young TW The Barca Buster looked lively too with some neat passing… The futures bright not orange but all green n white! HH!