Celtic are gearing up for a pivotal midweek clash as they travel to Motherwell on Wednesday night for their final away fixture of the Scottish Premiership season. With just one game left on the road, every point matters in the tightly contested title race.
Currently sitting second in the table with 76 points from 36 matches, the Hoops are just one point behind leaders Hearts. This makes the trip to Fir Park a must-win encounter if Celtic hope to keep their championship dreams alive heading into the final day. A loss combined with a Hearts victory would hand the title to their rivals with one game remaining.
Brendan Rodgers' side head into this fixture brimming with confidence, having won their last six matches across all competitions. Their recent form includes a commanding 3-1 victory over Rangers in the Old Firm derby, as well as league wins against Hibernian (2-1) and Falkirk (3-1). Notably, Celtic have found the back of the net in 15 of their last 16 league outings, showcasing their attacking consistency.
However, the team faces several injury setbacks that could test their depth. Key defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is sidelined for the remainder of the season with an Achilles injury, while goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel remains unavailable due to a shoulder issue. Defenders Julian Araujo (thigh) and Colby Donovan (hamstring) are also out, and forward Tomas Cvancara is ruled out with a groin problem. Winger Jota is unavailable because of a knee concern. Although Callum Osmand has returned to training after hamstring surgery, he is not expected to start.
Despite the injury list, Celtic's squad depth and recent momentum give them a strong chance to secure a vital win. Here is the predicted starting XI: Sinisalo; Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; Engels, McGregor; McCowan, Nygren, Hyun-Jun; Maeda.
The match kicks off at 8pm BST on Wednesday, 13th May, and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+ for viewers in the United Kingdom. For fans unable to watch, follow along for updates as Celtic look to take another step toward the title.
In other news, don't miss our predicted lineups for Crystal Palace vs Manchester City and Manchester City vs Crystal Palace.