Idah and Scales back for Celtic, leapfrog Sunday for Hearts

The Celtic Star

·10 November 2024

Idah and Scales back for Celtic, leapfrog Sunday for Hearts

Adam Idah and Liam Scales to start for Celtic against Kilmarnock today at Rugby Park? I definitely think so…

Adam Idah scores at Rugby Park as Celtic wrap up the title. Photo Vagelis Georgariou for The Celtic Star

Extra significance

Today’s clash with Kilmarnock takes on extra significance after Aberdeen went three points clear at the top of the table after a 4-1 win against Dundee at Pittodrie in the Saturday evening match. That also takes them an astonishing TWELVE points clear of theRangers who are therefore under enormous pressure at home to Hearts this afternoon.

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Kevin Nisbet of Aberdeen jogs back to his own half after scoring to give Aberdeen a 4-1 lead. Aberdeen v Dundee, Scottish Premiership, – 09 November 2024 Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Bouncing back from burst bubble at Hampden

Jimmy Thelin, his players and the entire Aberdeen support will be watching the events at Rugby Park and Ibrox this afternoon hoping that one or better still for them, both of the Glasgow sides slip up. Hearts tend to roll over and get their tummy tickled when facing their big cousins but given their position in the table then they will be desperate for the three points themselves.

Hearts fans might even be pleased with a Celtic win

And Hearts fans might even be pleased with a Celtic win this afternoon because of that happens and they take the three points at Ibrox then they could jump up from second bottom in the table, one point ahead of hapless Hibs, to go into seventh place, leapfrogging St Johnstone, Ross County, Kilmarnock and Dundee. Not a bad days work for Hearts if that’s how today pans out.

Celtic players pose for a team photo on the pitch prior to the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and RB Leipzig at Celtic Park on November 05, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

And it would suit us just fine too. It would also set up a mouthwatering encounter when we come back from the dreaded international break when we visit Tynecastle on Saturday 23 November. That’s the game with the evening kick-off (7.45pm) so it should be some atmosphere!

Imperative that Celtic take all three points

Back to today and It’s imperative that Celtic take all three points to go back on top before we stop for the international break, and to do that we must play our strongest starting XI.

One man who may be in the manager’s plans for a starting place is Adam Idah. Kyogo is very much our number one starting choice up top, and he put in an impressive display against RB Leipzig on Tuesday night, but maybe Brendan will throw a curve ball by starting the Irish international over the Japanese star who will be going away on international duty with Japan alongside Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda after today’s game.

Nicolas Kuhn of Celtic celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic FC and RB Leipzig at Celtic Park on November 05, 2024 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Adam Idah and Liam Scales

After all Adam started the last outing at Rugby Park last May and was instrumental on an unforgettable night when we blew the Ayrshire side away as we clinched the title with a thumping 5-0 victory.

Adam opened the scoring that night, and his all round play and physical presence was a major reason we raced into a 3-0 halftime lead. That’s not the kind of thing that Brendan Rodgers quickly forgets and he referenced that performance in his media conference on Friday afternoon at Lennoxtown, which was attended by The Celtic Star.

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. Celtic v RB Leipzig, UEFA Champions League, Group Stage, Celtic Park on – 5th November 2024. Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Brendan will be be mindful of the game back in May

Maybe that’s what we need today against the physical backline of Kilmarnock? As good as Kyogo is, Adam brings something different especially in the physical sense, and today that’s what could well be needed. And after Kyogo gave 100% on Tuesday night, maybe a change with Adam starting and Kyogo coming off the bench is one of the two changes I reckon that that Brendan will make to the team that started earlier in the week in the Champions League.

Assuming that both Auston Trusty and Cameron Carter-Vickers are both fine, suspect that one of the two will drop to the bench and we’ll see Liam Scales starting.

Liam Scales in action for Celtic against Aberdeen in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden. Celtic won 6-0. Photo AJ (The Celtic Star)

Predicted Celtic Team and scores

So I reckon that the Celtic team today will be Kasper Schmeichel, Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, Greg Taylor, Callum McGregor, Arne Engels, Reo Hatate; Daizen Maeda, Adam Idah and Nicolas Kuhn. If that turns out to be correct, remember it’s a prediction and not a leak!