Team’s Up – Simpson-Pusey handed surprise Celtic debut

The Celtic squad come into this game on the back of that bruising Europa League reality check in Denmark on Thursday evening against FC Midtjylland.

With Callum Osmand out with a torn hamstring O’Neill is without the Celtic bright spark from his three games in charge against Falkirk, theRangers and Midtjylland and as a consequence there’s likely to be a door opening for Shin Yamada to feature from the bench against Kilmarnock as Celtic look to get the three points they desperately need as they chase down current league leaders Hearts.

The Celtic team to face Kilmarnock this afternoon is as follows:  Kasper Schmeichel; Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Auston Trusty, Liam Scales, Marcelo Saracchi; Callum McGregor (c), Reo Hatate, Luke McCowan; Daizen Maeda, Johnny Kenny and Sebastian Tounekti.

Substitutes for Celtic today are  Viljami Sinisalo, Kieran Tierney, Dane Murray, Arne Engels, Benjamin Nygren, Arne Engels, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Yang, Shin Yamada.

The Celtic managerial team today  – Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney.

Match officials are referee Don Robertson who will be assisted by Calum Spence and Sean Carr. Greg Aitken will be on VAR duties today and he will be assisted by Ross Hardie.

The Celtic v Kilmarnock game this afternoon is NOT being shown on live television but is available live to Celtic TV subscribers based outside of Britain and Ireland and you will be able to catch the highlights on BBC Sportscene this evening on the BBC Scotland channel at 7.15pm on Sunday and then repeated at 11.45pm on BBC One Scotland.

It’s vital that those of us at the game do all we can to support the team and help the Bhoys get the three points. Hopefully one or two results go our way in the 3pm kick-offs. Wouldn’t it be lovely if Jim Goodwin and his Dundee United side could do us a favour at Tynecastle?

But it’s really all about Celtic taking care of our own business and getting the three points against Kilmarnock.

COYBIG!