Only One Celtic Debut at Ibrox? – Predicted Derby Starting XI

As the clock ticks down to one of the most anticipated matches of the Scottish Premiership season, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers faces a tactical conundrum. With a full house expected at Ibrox and no away support to buoy the Hoops, Rodgers must decide how adventurous he wants to be in his team selection for the Glasgow Derby against Rangers.

The Irishman finds himself in a unique situation. On one hand, he has a slew of new signings eager to make their mark. On the other, he has a team that’s currently a point ahead of Rangers in the league standings. The question is, how many debuts will we see on Sunday?

Given Celtic’s defensive injury woes, it seems almost certain that Nat Phillips will make his debut at centre-back. His experience and physicality could be invaluable in a high-pressure environment like Ibrox. Luis Palma, another new signing, presents a more complex decision. While his flair and creativity could be game-changing, throwing him into such an intense atmosphere with limited preparation could be risky.

Then there’s Paulo Bernardo, the latest addition to the squad. Starting him in midfield could mean benching David Turnbull. It’s a high-risk, high-reward scenario that Rodgers must carefully consider. Should Rodgers go for broke and field multiple new signings, aiming to catch the Rangers off guard? Or should he opt for a more conservative approach, relying on the tried-and-tested while introducing the new Bhoys from the bench as impact substitutes?

While we might see just one debut in Phillips from the start, the bench could be a different story. The likes of Palma and Bernardo could still play pivotal roles, coming on to inject fresh energy and ideas when needed. With no away fans to rally the troops and a hostile Ibrox crowd to contend with, Rodgers faces one of his most challenging tactical decisions to date. Whether he opts for boldness or caution could well set the tone for Celtic’s season moving forward.

Here is how we think the team will shake out however, Yang could also be a player who comes in and while he won’t be debuting for Celtic, he would be debuting in the derby. Lagerbielke will be getting his first taste of the fixture.