Auston Trusty returns to the Celtic side for today’s noon kick off away to St Johnstone.
Injury ruled the defender out of the Glasgow Derby three weeks ago but after stepping in for two matches Maik Nawrocki drops out of the Starting XI, making way for the USA internationalist.
After yesterday’s results Celtic are six points away from clinching the SPFL Premiership title with the first stage of that task presented today against the bottom placed side.
Last week the hoops returned to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Hearts, with a clear week of training Brendan Rodgers will be looking to continue that sort of form.
Liam Scales and Kasper Schmeichel were both pictured in training during the week but neither are included in today’s matchday squad.
CELTIC: Sinisalo, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Schlupp; McGregor, Engels, Hatate, Kuhn, Maeda, Jota
SUBS: Bain, Taylor, Idah, Yang, McCowan, Nawrocki, Bernardo, Forrest, Ralston

Woeful first half, how long exactly does Rodgers need to fix a defence. We just cannot defend and are weak all over the park. A team of lightweights. Yes we can have great flair at times, but this team is not as good as many fans think. We desperately need some physical presence in the side. Can only get better in second half. Have said a few times and will say it again after watching Hibs yesterday, how in hell could we lose twice in a row to that Sevco team. Not seeing Rodgers as an elite manager which is said by some bloggers
Oh dear and we are sitting back laughing at sevco and the state of they are in player wise,we ain’t any better.
Other than that cash in the bank,you couldn’t put a George Michael sorry a fag paper between the 2 teams.
God! Celtic can be absolute shite at times and today was one of those times. Wouldn’t give any of them pass marks.
Owen, whilst I fully agree, hence my text to my nephew at HT: “They all look like they’ve been out on the piss last night and 1st met each other just before kick-off in Perth. Brendan has much to do to fix this but I believe he can. KTF.”
Anyway, an ‘alternative view’ from Brendan this morning: “Okay Bhoys, we owe the new huns something (awful) so we can go out and win this game (as the new huns expect) then win at home next week and it’s job done, Title’s ours. Orrr, we can delay things a bit after Hibs scudded them yesterday. Just imagine the meltdown on HollowHollow?
‘See that, efter we were pyoor rubbash so we wir yisterday agin rem urra Fenians, we shood be doon tae tin pints behun. Hit them pyoor hard an it’s doonta sivven…I told ye’s hunners a (mullions) a times this tittle was oorz an’ we’ve shit the bed agin.’
So Bhoys, you could be in for some flak if you throw it, it’s up to you, but what a chance to drive that scum, even more, pyoor mentul?”
A fairly weak push then. For weeks I’ve tried rationalising our poor form as late season fatigue and post champions league hangover but the reality is we just don’t know what to do when teams get in our face and cut off the supply lines. BR needs to have a good look at what to do when teams set up like that against us and come up with a way of playing to counter it – if he doesn’t, soon every game will be like this because they’ll all be doing it.
I am going to say something sacrilegious for a lot of fans but while MacGregor is a wonderful player he is a wage thief who only uses his undoubted talent when they are getting beat with ten minutes to go and the rest of the time he wanders around spraying totally redundant 3 yard passes everywhere. It is only then you will see him attack their 20 yard box with any focus and it’s too late.
It may be BR’s fault for playing him in that redundant ” holding midfielder” position but surely even he can see that is not needed when teams” park the bus”.
I had a strange feeling they would get beat today and an even stranger feeling the board would not want 60,000 fans celebrating next week.
The midfield is absolutely powderpuff. Engels, Hatate and MacGregor and of course the answer for the board will be to buy more wingers.
It’s like once more the manager has no answer to teams that sit deep, where’s plan b when plan A obviously isn’t working,why don’t we ever just punt the ball up the park ,cut out our poor defence and powder puff midfield,but no the manager is not for changing and how we laughed at sevco yesterday.Is it complacency again after sevco dropped points yesterday but whatever it is it’s worrying, we’re getting like sevco in choosing games we decide to take part in but our midfield seems very lightweight and has no dig against stronger opponents.
What a bloody embarrassment today bloody well was !