Celtic face Falkirk away from home in their next Scottish Premiership match on Wednesday night.
The Bhoys will be looking to extend their run of five head-to-head wins over Falkirk and make ground on leaders Hearts following the return of Martin O’Neill to the dugout.
Falkirk vs Celtic – Match preview and team news
- Date: Wednesday, 14th January.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
- Venue: Falkirk Stadium.
Falkirk team news
Falkirk continue to be without several key defensive personnel as Gary Oliver (hamstring), Lewis Neilson (ankle), Ross MacIver (ankle), Tom Lang (foot) and Jamie Sneddon remain sidelined.
However, the Bairns have shown significant intent in the transfer market this month, bringing in striker Ben Parkinson from Newcastle United and midfielder Louie Marsh on loan from Sheffield United. The former England Under-20 player will add quality to the midfield.
Manager John McGlynn expressed satisfaction with the arrivals, stating he had targeted additional height and quality in the team. Forward Barney Stewart, on loan from Dunfermline, continues to feature prominently in McGlynn’s setup after impressing during his temporary spell at East End Park.
Celtic team news
O’Neill faces significant personnel challenges ahead of Wednesday’s fixture. Portuguese winger Jota is unlikely to feature for the remainder of the season after failing to recover from a serious knee injury sustained in April, with O’Neill explicitly stating he does not expect the 26-year-old to return before summer. Alistair Johnston (hamstring) is targeting a return sometime in March, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Callum Osmand and Kelechi Iheanacho all remain unavailable through injury.
However, the interim manager confirmed that Auston Trusty trained this morning and is in good shape for the fixture. Stephen Welsh has been recalled from his loan spell at Motherwell to provide defensive cover, while Mexico international Julian Araujo continues his loan move from Bournemouth. O’Neill has also stated that Celtic are “relatively close” to securing January signings, with progress being made behind the scenes despite the challenges of the transfer window.
Form
Falkirk
John McGlynn’s newly-promoted side has enjoyed an impressive run in recent weeks, particularly on the road. Falkirk claimed a deserved 2-0 victory at St Mirren on Saturday, with goals from Finn Yeats and Calvin Miller securing three crucial points. The Bairns took the lead when Yeats curled a stunning finish into the top corner from 25 yards after Saints goalkeeper Shamal George was caught out of position, with Miller doubling the advantage shortly after to seal the points.
This victory saw McGlynn’s side collect nine points from a possible 12 in their recent games. McGlynn revealed that his team has already achieved the 30-point target he set for the first two rounds of fixtures, giving them what he described as a “free hit” in midweek, with the manager confident his side can go “no handbrake on” against Celtic.
Celtic
Celtic have embarked on a resurgence under O’Neill’s stewardship following his reappointment, bouncing back from the disastrous tenure of Wilfried Nancy. The Parkhead side delivered a commanding performance against Dundee United on Saturday, with Yang Hyun-jun, Arne Engels, Benjamin Nygren and Daizen Maeda all finding the net in a 4-0 win.
Celtic enjoyed 78 per cent possession and had 22 shots at goal in a display that restored confidence throughout the club following Nancy’s torrid spell in charge. Nygren’s goal was his 11th of the season, while the performance demonstrated the kind of attacking prowess that had been absent during Nancy’s tenure. With this victory, Celtic moved to within three points of second-placed Rangers but remains six points adrift of leaders Hearts.
Predicted lineups
Falkirk: Bain; Lissah, Allan, Henderson, McCann; Spencer, Cartwright; Yeats, Tait, Miller; Stewart
Celtic: Schmeichel; Araujo, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Hyun-Jun, Maeda, Tounekti
How to watch Falkirk vs Celtic?
The fixture will be broadcast live on Premier Sports 1 for viewers across the United Kingdom.
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