£5.5 deadline day signing makes debut: Celtic confirmed starting XI vs Kilmarnock for Rugby Park showdown
Brendan Rodgers’ confirmed Celtic starting line-up to face Kilmarnock in their latest Scottish Premiership clash in East Ayrshire
Brendan Rodgers has named his Celtic starting XI to face Kilmarnock latest Scottish Premiership encounter at Rugby Park in East Ayrshire.
With a civil war on the brink of breaking out at Parkhead, the hosts will be smelling blood and determined to take advantage of any fragility in Brendan Rodgers’ squad after the Hoops boss came out swinging as he addressed the club’s abysmal end to the summer transfer window.
Aside from tensions off the field, Celtic will be pleased with their start to the Premiership campaign, picking up ten points from their first four matches. A victory would see them keep tabs on pacesetters Hearts, who ran out 2-0 winners of struggling Rangers yesterday.
Team news: 3 changes as winger set for debut
Rodgers makes THREE changes to his starting line-up from the side that played out a goalless draw against Rangers at Ibrox prior to the international break.
Tunisian winger Sebastian Tounekti - a £5.5 million signing from Swedish side Hammarby IF on transfer deadline day - makes his debut, while youngster Colby Donovan makes his first senior start and Boca Juniors loanee Marcello Sarrachi slots in at left-back.
Anthony Ralston drops out of the matchday squad through injury, while Kieran Tierney and Arne Engels are on the bench.
What Callum McGregor has said pre-match
“Having seen what I’ve seen this week in training and the tail end of last week, there’s a real hunger. There’s a real desire from the guys that have come in, and a good level as well. We’ve added pace and penetration at the top end.’
“We’ve added a top striker, albeit he’s not played so much, but the early signs are good. He looks good, he looks hungry to be part of what we are doing here, so I’ve actually been really encouraged with what I’ve seen in the last seven or eight training sessions over the break.
“I believe that if we start well on Sunday, and we start to gather some momentum then the team will really start to come together.”
Here's your confirmed starting XI’s ahead of this afternoon’s league encounter...
Kilmarnock:
Max Stryjek, James Brown, Lewis Mayo, George Stanger, Robbie Deas (C), Dominic Thompson, Liam Polworth, Rory McKenzie, David Watson,, Djenairo Daniels, Marcus Dackers.
SUBS: Eddie Beach (GK), Zach Williams, Greg Kiltie, Bruce Anderson, Jack Thomson, Marley Watkins, Ruari Ellis, Ethan Schilte-Brown, Archie Traynor.
Celtic:
Kasper Schmeichel; Colby Donovan, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, Marcello Saracchi, Callum McGregor (C), Reo Hatate, Benjamin Nygren, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Sebastian Tounekti, Daizen Maeda.