Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s Scottish Premiership clash between Celtic and Falkirk, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
An out-of-sorts Celtic will welcome an in-form Falkirk to Celtic Park on Wednesday night for a matchday 10 clash in the Scottish Premiership.
The Bhoys have shockingly lost each of their last two league matches, while the Bairns have won both of their last two fixtures.
Match preview
Celtic have been a club in turmoil at the beginning of the 2025-26 season, with fans protesting against the board, underwhelming performances, results taking a turn for the worse and manager Brendan Rodgers opting to leave the club.
A disappointing summer transfer window saw Rodgers openly voice his frustrations, while fans have staged multiple protests already this season due to a belief that the club is being mismanaged, with a particular emphasis on the transfer strategy during the transfer window.
The discontent only grew with a series of lacklustre performances and results throughout the campaign, including Celtic’s failure to qualify for the Champions League after losing on penalties to Kairat Almaty in the playoff round, as well as drawing one and losing one of their first two Europa League league phase games.
Despite their European struggles, Celtic had recorded their usual dominant results in domestic competitions, winning five and drawing two of their first seven league games, as well as booking their place in the Scottish League Cup semi-finals, where they will face Old Firm rivals Rangers.
However, Celtic have even started to suffer on the pitch domestically in their recent matches, with the Bhoys having unbelievably lost each of their last two league fixtures – a 2-0 defeat to Dundee followed by a 3-1 loss to Hearts last time out.
Those results mean Celtic now trail league leading Hearts by a significant eight points after just nine matches in the Scottish Premiership, and things have only gone from bad to worse since the loss to the Jambos, as Rodgers offered his resignation in the days following that lacklustre defeat.
Martin O’Neill, who won three Scottish Premiership titles, three Scottish FA Cups and one Scottish League Cup across five years in charge of Celtic between 2000 and 2005, has been appointed as the interim boss for the Bhoys, alongside former player Shaun Maloney.
The pair will be tasked with steadying the ship and keeping the Bhoys within touching distance of Hearts while Celtic search for their next permanent boss, and they will be aware that another disappointing result against Falkirk and dropping any further behind the Jambos could be disastrous in Celtic’s attempts to retain the title for the fifth straight season.
Celtic would usually head into this match with extreme confidence of securing a comfortable victory, but recent results and drama away from the pitch will give Falkirk increased belief of recording a major upset.
While the Bhoys have suffered back-to-back league defeats, the Bairns have emerged victorious in each of their last two Scottish Premiership matches, lifting them into sixth in the standings.
Falkirk, who won the Scottish Championship last term to earn promotion back to the top flight for the first time since 2009-10, have enjoyed an encouraging start to the new campaign.
John McGlynn‘s side have won three, drawn three and lost three of their first nine league outings, leaving them sixth in the standings with 12 points, comfortably five points ahead of 11th-placed Aberdeen in the relegation zone.
Off the back of securing two straight wins for the first time in the league this season, Falkirk will be full of confidence coming into this match, and they will be eyeing a first win against Celtic since a 1-0 triumph in March 2007.
Falkirk will still be aware of the quality that Celtic posses, though, as the Bairns have already suffered a significant defeat to the Bhoys this season, losing 4-1 in a second round meeting in the Scottish League Cup in August.
Celtic Scottish Premiership form:
L L W D W D
Celtic form (all competitions):
L W L W L D
Falkirk Scottish Premiership form:
W W D L D L
Falkirk form (all competitions):
W W D L D L
Team News
Celtic will certainly be without the services of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota for this match due to long-term injury problems, while Daizen Maeda and Kelechi Iheanacho could return after spells on the sidelines.
Following the 3-1 defeat to title rivals Hearts, O’Neill could look to make a number of changes to his starting 11 in search of a positive response in this match.
Dane Murray played a hand in all three Hearts goals, scoring an own-goal, conceding a penalty and pulling his leg out of the way Alexandros Kyziridis’ goal-bound strike, and the defender is expected to be replaced by Auston Trusty in central defence.
Colby Donovan, Reo Hatate, Arne Engels and Johnny Kenny all also failed to impress, meaning the likes of James Forrest, Luke McCowan, Anthony Ralston and several others could come into the starting team.
As for Falkirk, Aidan Nesbitt, Coll Donaldson, Ethan Ross, Jamie Sneddon and Lewis Neilson are all out with injuries, while the rest of the squad should be available for selection.
Following back-to-back victories in the Scottish Premiership, McGlynn could opt to name an unchanged team against Celtic.
Ross MacIver, Calvin Miller, Ethan Williams and Kyrell Wilson could start in attack, while Connor Allan, who scored the winner last weekend, could continue alongside Liam Henderson in central defence.
Celtic possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Ralston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; Bernardo, McGregor, McCowan; Forrest, Maeda, Tounekti
Falkirk possible starting lineup:
Bain; Adams, Allan, Henderson, Lissah; Spencer, Tait; Wilson, Williams, Miller; MacIver
We say: Celtic 2-1 Falkirk
Celtic may be enduring a difficult period, while Falkirk will be boosted by back-to-back wins, but the Bhoys have dominated this fixture in recent years, and as they also have the home advantage, we expect the hosts to win this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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