Preview: Ross County vs. Celtic - prediction, team news, lineups

Ross County, aiming to widen their pb implicit the relegation zone, are acceptable to look Scottish Premiership league leaders Celtic astatine the Global Energy Stadium connected Saturday afternoon.

The hosts are 10th successful the array with 25 points from 22 games, portion the visitors are astatine the apical of the standings with 56 points from their archetypal 21 matches of the season.

Match preview

© Imago

After finishing sixth successful the Scottish Premiership successful 2021-22, Ross County person struggled to scope those aforesaid heights successful the pursuing 2 and a fractional seasons.

The Staggies person dropped into the relegation conflict successful each of the past 2 campaigns, finishing 11th successful 2022-23 and beating Partick Thistle successful the relegation playoff, followed by different 11th-placed decorativeness successful 2023-24, wherever they overcame Raith Rovers successful the relegation playoff.

Don Cowie would person been aiming to steer Ross County wide of competing successful the relegation playoff for the 3rd successive play heading into this term, but the Staggies are erstwhile again embroiled successful the conflict against the drop.

Ross County are 10th successful the standings with 25 points from their 22 league fixtures, aft six wins, 7 draws and 9 defeats, leaving them conscionable 2 points up of 11th-placed Hearts.

However, a triumph present could spot Ross County leap into the apical six depending connected results elsewhere, with sixth-placed St Mirren starring the Staggies by lone 2 points.

Ross County volition beryllium precocious connected assurance heading into this 1 aft winning 3 and drafting 1 of their past 4 outings, but they stay large underdogs against the league leaders.

Celtic person had a singular 2024-25 play to date, suffering conscionable 2 defeats from their 31 matches played crossed each competitions, alongside 5 draws and 24 wins.

Those results permission the Bhoys sitting comfortably astatine the apical of the Scottish Premiership array with 56 points from 21 games, holding a steadfast 16-point pb implicit second-placed Rangers, though the Gers bash person a crippled successful hand.

Brendan Rodgers's broadside are besides connected people to suffice for the Champions League knockout rounds for the archetypal clip since 2012-13, portion they person besides already claimed their archetypal silverware of the campaign, beating rivals Rangers connected penalties aft a melodramatic 3-3 gully successful 120 minutes.

Their unbeaten tally successful home competitions, which spanned backmost to a 2-1 nonaccomplishment to Hearts successful March 2024, was breached astatine the commencement of the period arsenic they fell to a disappointing 3-0 decision to Rangers, but they person rebounded successful superb fashion.

The Bhoys person beaten St Mirren 3-0 and Dundee United 2-0 successful their past 2 outings, leaving them backmost successful winning form, and they volition beryllium aiming to widen that streak and support their pb astatine the apical of the array with different triumph here.

Ross County Scottish Premiership form:

Celtic Scottish Premiership form:

Team News

© Imago

The hosts are expected to beryllium without the services of Alex Samuel (thigh), Elijah Campbell (knee), Ross Laidlaw (knee), Ryan Leak (Achilles tendon) and Will Nightingale for this lucifer owed to injury.

Elsewhere, aft defeating Kilmarnock 1-0 successful their past outing, extending their unbeaten tally to 4 matches, Cowie could opt to sanction the aforesaid starting squad for this one.

As for the visitors, James Forrest (foot) and Odin Thiago Holm (calf) are some unavailable owed to ongoing wounded issues, though some are apt to instrumentality aboriginal this month.

After suffering a miserable Old Firm derby defeat, Celtic person won back-to-back matches with an aggregate people of 5-0, meaning Rodgers could tract a akin squad here.

Ross County imaginable starting lineup:
Amissah; Wright, Lopata, Randall; Brown, Grieves, Kenneh, Nisbet, Harmon; Chilvers, White

We say: Ross County 0-3 Celtic

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