Celtic sealed their Scottish Premiership triumph with a thrilling 3-2 victory over St Mirren last weekend. Despite falling behind early, goals from Matt O'Riley, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Luis Palma secured the win. Brendan Rodgers, Celtic's manager, is confident as they head into the final, aiming for their record-extending 42nd Scottish Cup win.
Celtic's journey to the final included victories over Buckie Thistle, St Mirren, Livingston, and Aberdeen in the semi-finals. They enter the final unbeaten against Rangers this season, with three wins and one draw.
Meanwhile, Rangers secured the Scottish League Cup earlier this season with a 1-0 win over Aberdeen. However, they finished second in the Premiership after dropping points in several games, including a 3-3 draw against Hearts last weekend. Manager Philippe Clement has urged his players to stay focused for the final, emphasizing the significance of the match.
Rangers' path to the final included wins over Dumbarton, Ayr United, Hibernian, and Hearts. Despite not defeating Celtic for over a year, Rangers have a history of success in Scottish Cup meetings, including a memorable 3-2 comeback victory in the 2002 final.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
At his pre-match press conference, Celtic manager Rodgers confirmed that there were no injuries to report. However, there's uncertainty about Yang Hyun-Jun's availability as he's missed the last five games due to a foot problem.Rodgers is expected to make several changes from the lineup that faced St Mirren last weekend. Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Liam Scales are likely to return to the defense, shielding goalkeeper Joe Hart, who is set to retire after this match.
In midfield, Matt O'Riley, Callum McGregor, and Reo Hatete are expected to start, while Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda are contenders for a place in the attack.
For Rangers, manager Clement hasn't disclosed much about injuries but mentioned readiness to take risks with some players. Although several key players missed the last game against Hearts, the return of Abdallah Sima and Ridvan Yilmaz provides a boost.
James Tavernier, the top scorer, is set to feature at right-back, while other players like Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell, Ryan Jack, and Fabio Silva are eager to reclaim their spots in the starting lineup. John Lundstram is also back after serving a two-game suspension.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Celtic possible starting lineup:Hart; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor; McGregor, Hatate, O'Riley; Forrest, Furuhashi, Maeda
Rangers possible starting lineup:
Butland; Tavernier, King, Davies, Yilmaz; Diomande, Raskin; McCausland, Cantwell, Silva; Dessers
EXPERT PREDICTION
Celtic 4-3 Rangers
Even if Rangers get some of their key players back from injury, Celtic remains the favorite. They have the attacking strength to outscore their city rivals and are poised to retain the Scottish Cup.