ODSONNE EDOUARD and Moussa Dembele both start as Celtic aim to avoid a repeat experience from the one they suffered in December when Hearts caught Celtic on an off day and walked away with a 4-0 win.
Brendan Rodgers has set up his side to ensure that lightening doesn’t strike twice on a gloriously sunny day in the capital – where Celtic have only managed to take ONE point all season.
A 2-2 draw at Easter Road in December is the only time Celtic have avoided defeat in Edinburgh, the 4-0 defeat to Hearts the following week and then the 2-1 defeat a fortnight ago to Hibs has meant that it’s been a pretty barren place for the 7 in a row Champions as they have been on the road point hunting.
Scott Bain is preferred in goals as Rodgers ensures that everyone is going to get match time between now and Hampden a week on Saturday.
Lustig, Boyata and Ajer keep their places in the team but Kieran Tierney has been given a well deserved day off – so he’ll probably be in the stand supporting the team.
Captain Scott Brown starts – it will give Hearts boss the chance to congratulate the PFA Scotland Player of the Year after the match, so gracious is Levein!
Callum McGregor, Tom Rogic, James Forrest and Olivier Ntcham all play – McGregor is likely to slot in at left back.
Edouard and Dembele caused Hearts all sorts of problems in January at Celtic Park and are expected to do the same again today.
Subs are De Vries, Simunovic, Hendry, Armstrong, Sinclair, Roberts and Miller.
Craig Gordon will be enjoying a day off while there is no place for Charly Musonda as speculation won’t go away about him going back to Chelsea.
