Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Aberdeen - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - July 31, 2022 Celtic players in a huddle before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Kieran Tierney and Callum McGregor are out of the Celtic side for today’s Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox.
Tierney was a doubt with a foot injury but there was no hint that McGregor would be missing when Martin O’Neill faced the media on Friday.
It seems that Liam Scales, captain for the day, will play at left-bavk or Celtic may switch to a back three.
Marcelo Saracchi has been the regular stand-in for Tierney but the Uruguayan starts on the bench.
Auston Trusty returns from suspension to another new look defence with Ben Arthur keeping his place in defence.
Ben Nygren is the replacement for McGregor in midfield with Daizen Maeda coming off the bench to replace Tomas Cvancara as the sole striker.
The loss of McGregor and Tierney will be the main talking points in the lead up to kick off with neither player on the bench.
CELTIC BACKGROUND
After the drama of last Sunday Celtic didn’t have much time to think over the consequences of the draw.
By Tuesday evening the team was in Aberdeen, late on Wednesday they were heading down the road with three points from a2-1 victory.
Kieran Tierney and Ben Nygren were the goalscorers as Celtic edged into second place in the SPFL Premiership table.
Ben Arthur came in to start his first senior match, impressing with Aberdeen pushing the visitors all the way.
Arthur stepped in at the last minute to replace Dane Murray who aggravated an injury during the warm up. Possibly highlighting the issues that Celtic have suffered from this season.
Don Robertson will referee today’s match with Andrew Dallas on VAR duty.
Next up for Celtic is a visit from Motherwell on Saturday with a win cutting the gap at the top down to two points.
CELTIC: Sinisalo; Araujo, Arthur, Trusty, Scales: Hatate, McCowan, Nygren; Yang, Maeda, Tounekti
SUBS: Doohan, Cvancara, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Bernardo, Mvuka, Saracchi, Murray, Forrest, Donovan
This is what corporate greed and austerity look like , Desmond and his cabal are responsible for this and it will only get worse, we are asking Martin O’Neil to work miracles with one hand tied behind his back ,stop giving them your money
Just heard the news – That’s a real double blow to our chances today which hopefully we will overcome but we will need all eleven to be on their game, and not be playing with a man or two “missing”. COYBIG let’s do this.
Feel so sorry for those supporters who have agreed/allowed themselves to be locked in to a stadium 4 hours! before a game begins only to find out when they get there their club is putting out basically a “B” team with all but no chance of getting a draw never mind a win …..i bet you had they known a few might have had “other plans” this morning…Although it wont stop the Celtic Business Leadership enjoining a convivial pre-game glass or two with their Old Firm partners
Unless/until VAR is assisted by independent AI we’ll suffer the insufferable cheating by masons in our game. The lines are a fucking sick joke and the empty suits that make up our board will continue, as they’ve done for decades, to do and say NOTHING!
Gggrrfukkinggrrrr!
Another masterclass from mason Robertson in how to be a cheating orange bastard.
Shameless mingin huns!
That’s really sweet at that awful, poisonous midden.
TavPen ‘to kick it off’ was so ironic at the end. As near to ‘justice’ as possible.
Just wonder what action will be taken about that scum at the end?
By Tuesday it’ll probably never have happened and that shows up the British establishment for the filth that it is.
But, what will it take to ban hoodies, balaclavas and masks from football and huns from everything?
2 poor teams, but the difference was mental strength?
sevco bottled it at home again.
And, Sinisalo gives us so much more assurance and must stay in the team.
So so happy against all the odds and obstacles put in our way ….many from our own board our Bhoys prevailed and …..happy to eat my words
What the f*ck is wrong with our medical team when so many bloody players are injured !