Celtic and St Mirren will clash at Celtic Park this Saturday, marking the final game of the 2024-25 season. Celtic aims to celebrate their Scottish Premiership title with a victory, while St Mirren seeks to disrupt the party and potentially climb to fifth place on the last day.
This match presents an opportunity for Celtic to cap off a successful season, having already secured the Scottish League Cup and the Premiership title. St Mirren, after a shaky start, surged into contention for a top-six finish and will be looking to end their season on a high note.
Here, we’ll delve into the match preview, team news, possible lineups, and offer our prediction for this exciting encounter.
Match Preview
Celtic has enjoyed a stellar domestic season, securing the Scottish League Cup with a penalty shootout victory over Rangers and clinching the Scottish Premiership title with four games to spare. Their dominance was evident after Aberdeen’s stumble, as they never relinquished the top spot, sealing the title with a resounding 5-0 win against Dundee United.
Despite their league success, Celtic has their sights set on the Scottish FA Cup final against Aberdeen next weekend, aiming for a sixth domestic treble in nine seasons. Their recent form has been strong, with five wins and one draw in their last six matches, a momentum Brendan Rodgers will be keen to maintain.
Celtic’s confidence is high, having won their last eight encounters with St Mirren and remaining undefeated in the past 12. However, St Mirren’s journey this season has been notable. After a slow start, they rallied to secure a top-six finish, highlighted by a dramatic 3-2 win over Ross County.
Although St Mirren is unbeaten in their post-split fixtures, they’ve fallen short of securing a European spot. They trail fourth-placed Aberdeen by four points but could climb to fifth depending on the final day’s results. A victory against Celtic, coupled with favorable results elsewhere, could see them end the season on a positive note.
Celtic Form
Celtic’s recent form has been impressive, showcasing their dominance in the Scottish Premiership. Their consistency has been a key factor in securing the league title and maintaining momentum heading into the cup final.
- Scottish Premiership Form: [Analyze recent results – include W, L, D]
- All Competitions Form: [Analyze recent results – include W, L, D]
Despite already securing the league title, Celtic has maintained their positive form, with the Bhoys now heading into this one with five wins and one draw in their last six, and Rodgers will look to carry that momentum into the final.
St Mirren Form
St Mirren’s form has been a tale of two halves this season. After a slow start, they’ve shown resilience to climb into the top six. Their recent unbeaten run in the post-split fixtures demonstrates their determination to finish the season strongly.
- Scottish Premiership Form: [Analyze recent results – include W, L, D]
Despite remaining unbeaten in the post-split fixtures with two wins and two draws, St Mirren have fallen short of securing a European spot, still four points behind fourth-placed Aberdeen, but they could climb to fifth depending on the final day’s results.
Team News
Celtic will be without key players such as [Missing Player 1] for the remainder of the season due to a cruciate ligament injury. [Missing Player 2] is also unavailable for Saturday’s game and is doubtful for the cup final.
James Forrest, recently crowned Celtic’s most decorated player, is still seeking his first goal of the season and is expected to start. Rodgers may rotate the squad to rest key players for the upcoming cup final.
St Mirren’s only expected absentee is [Missing Player 1] due to injury. [Player with potential issue] is also a doubt after coming off with a potential problem in the last match. Given their recent form, Robinson is likely to field a similar team.
Celtic Possible Starting Lineup: Sinisalo; Ralston, Nawrocki, Trusty, Schlupp; Bernardo, McGregor, McCowan; Forrest, Kenny, Hyun-Jun
St Mirren Possible Starting Lineup: Hemming; Fraser, Gogic, Taylor; Alebiousu, Phillips, Boyd-Munce, O’Hara, John; Mandron, Ayunga
We say: Celtic 3-1 St Mirren
St Mirren enters the clash in impressive form, but Celtic has been dominant in domestic competition this term and this fixture in recent history, so we anticipate a commanding home victory.
Conclusion
As Celtic and St Mirren prepare to face off, the stakes are set for an intriguing match. Celtic, buoyed by their league title win, will be eager to put on a show for their fans. St Mirren, with their sights on a potential fifth-place finish, will be keen to spoil the party.
While St Mirren’s recent form is commendable, Celtic’s dominance in domestic competitions and their historical advantage in this fixture make them the favorites. Expect Celtic to secure a victory, potentially with a scoreline of 3-1, as they aim to carry their momentum into the Scottish FA Cup final.
The match promises to be a fitting end to the season for both teams, with Celtic looking to celebrate their success and St Mirren aiming to finish on a high note.
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