This will be Martin O’Neill’s first league game in charge of Celtic since ‘Helicopter Sunday’ – the final day of the 2004-05 season – when a late 2-1 defeat at Motherwell handed the title to Rangers.
O’Neill’s only previous meeting with Falkirk was an 8-1 League Cup win in September 2004.
Celtic are unbeaten in 14 meetings with Falkirk in all competitions (W12 D2) since a 1-0 league defeat in March 2007 under Gordon Strachan. This will be the first league game between the two clubs since March 2010, when Celtic won 2-0 under Tony Mowbray.
Falkirk have lost 14 of their past 16 away games at Celtic in all competitions (D2) since a 2-0 victory in October 1994 under Jim Jefferies. They did draw their last league game at Celtic Park 1-1 in January 2010, though.
Celtic have won 17 of their past 18 league games against newly-promoted opponents (D1) since a 2-1 defeat to Hearts in July 2021. At home, the Parkhead club have won each of their past 13 league games against promoted sides by an aggregate score of 46-4.
Celtic have lost just one of their past 77 home league games against sides other than Old Firm rivals Rangers (W66 D10), going down 2-0 to Hearts in December 2023.
Falkirk have won two of their four away league games this season (L2); during their last top-flight campaign (2009-10) the Bairns only won three of their 19 away games across the entire season (D7 L9).
