Celtic will face Hearts this afternoon with a place in the Last 16 of the League Cup at stake. Robbie Neilson’s side ran out 2-1 winners in the Premiership opener a few weeks ago thanks to a late goal from John Souttar that compounded Ange Postecoglou’s team to a defeat. However, since then, Postecoglou’s team have responded with three wins in a row. The game will have a capacity side at Paradise as Celtic look to seal their progression in the League Cup, the first piece of silverware on offer this season.
Team News
The manager may be tempted to make a couple of changes but given the performance levels in the last few games, the Australian may want to continue with a similar team to that of Thursday night.
Liel Abda missed the second leg of the Europa League Qualifier with a slight knock but he may return to the fold this afternoon. James McCarthy could be included in the matchday squad as he looks to make his Celtic debut having missed the games against Dundee and the Czech side.
Albian Ajeti will be hoping for some game time after looking sharp when he came off the bench for a short period in the win over Jablonec. Leigh Griffiths trained during the week but wasn’t included on Thursday. Odsonne Edouard’s future remains up in the air but he will likely be involved.
Christopher Jullien is still out but he is nearing a return over the next few weeks. Wing duo Mikey Johnston and Karamoko Dembele remain sidelined.
Kick Off Time
The game kicks off at 3pm (Celtic Park time)
Where to Watch
The game will be on Premier Sports, with coverage starting at 2:30pm. It looks like it could be a sell-out crowd making the trip to Paradise as Celtic look for revenge against Hearts.
After winning four League Cups in a row, Celtic were beaten by Ross County last season as St Johnstone won the trophy. Now, Postecoglou will be targeting success at his first chance at silverware, beginning with today’s game against Hearts.