Celtic continue their defence of the Scottish Cup this weekend, hosting Greenock Morton in the quarter-finals of the competition.
After a mid-week fixture postponement, the Hoops should be well rested and ready to go against the Championship outfit. It’s a match that Brendan Rodgers’ side will be expected to win comfortably but they can’t be complacent about securing a result.
Morton knocked Celtic out of the Scottish League Cup in 2013/14 at Celtic Park, so a shock is not completely outside the realms of possibility.
Still, it could be a great chance for Rodgers to give a first team chance to players that need more game time, with competition for places in the starting eleven fierce.
With some players losing form recently and ahead of a huge clash away to Rangers next week, it’s an opportunity for the Hoops boss to take a look at some fringe players and decide what they can offer in the closing stages of the season
These are the THREE players that should start on Saturday…
Scott Bain
Brought in as emergency back-up after the injury to Craig Gordon in late January, Bain has yet to make a single appearance for the Hoops, being named as an unused substitute behind Dorus De Vries.
De Vries has received criticism in recent weeks for poor performances, most notably away to FC Zenit, with many fans hoping to see what Scott Bain can offer between the sticks.
He gained a reputation as an excellent shot-stopper while at Dundee, sometimes against Celtic themselves, and the only question mark is whether he can integrate into Celtic’s style of playing and organise a pretty shaky defence.
With Morton not expected to offer much of an attacking threat, giving him much-needed game time on Saturday is relatively risk-free and gives him a chance to forge relationships with defenders and gain confidence playing for a club like Celtic.
If De Vries’ form worsens or he gets injured, the Hoops might need Bain at a critical stage of the season and going into the environment cold could be a real problem.
Charly Musonda
Charly Musonda has had limited playing time since joining on loan from Chelsea in January but has already made an impression with supporters, famously setting up Callum McGregor in an impressive win at home to FC Zenit.
Domestically he’s had less success, playing the entire 180 minutes of Celtic’s recent poor results against Kilmarnock and St Johnstone. He has talent though and should improve with every game as he gets used to life in Glasgow.
This weekend is a massive opportunity for the player to show why he deserves to make Rodgers’ starting eleven on a consistent basis and with Morton expected to be tricky to break down, the Hoops could use with his unique creativity and skill.
Marvin Compper
Reported to have been fit enough to feature against Dundee on Wednesday night, there should be no doubt about the defender’s ability to compete on Saturday when Morton visit.
The German defender has yet to feature for Rodgers’ side and there’s a keen interest from supporters about what ability he holds given the Hoops’ woes in defence of late.
With Jack Hendry cup-tied, Dedryck Boyata still unavailable and Jozo Simunovic lacking confidence, it’s the perfect chance to pair him up with youngster Kristoffer Ajer and see what kind of partnership they can build.
It won’t be the toughest of defensive tests against a side expected to give up the majority of possession in the match, but it’ll at least be a start on the road to the experienced defender eventually becoming a first team regular.
