Yang To Start? | Predicted 4-3-3 Celtic Lineup To Face St Mirren | OneFootball

After Rangers’ disappointing draw against Motherwell last evening, Celtic would aim for a two-point cushion over their bitter rivals on Sunday afternoon. The reigning champions are set to kickstart their title defence by hosting St Mirren. But they must be cautious, having settled for a 1-1 draw in their previous Parkhead meeting, when veteran James Forrest netted an injury-time equaliser in the final gameweek of the 2024-25 campaign.

The Buddies had their moments last season under Stephen Robinson, who has bolstered the squad with several exciting signings. While it would be colossal to secure a result on the road, a resilient performance this weekend could stun the hosts, who might need a few games to build the momentum following a dreadful 5-1 defeat against Ajax in their latest pre-season friendly.

Predicted 4-3-3 Celtic Lineup To Face St Mirren

Defence

Veteran Kasper Schmeichel should retain his ‘number 1’ status, having registered 19 clean sheets last term in 32 league outings. Viljami Sinisalo and the summer recruit Ross Doohan would be there as alternatives, but they must stay patient for opportunities.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – MAY 17: James Forrest of Celtic celebrates after scoring his team’s equalising goal during the William Hill Premiership match between Celtic FC and St Mirren FC at Celtic Park on May 17, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Kieran Tierney has returned to his boyhood club upon the expiration of his Arsenal contract. He should reclaim his left fullback role as Greg Taylor’s successor, with the latter plying his trade in Greece to join PAOK. Cameron Carter-Vickers is irreplaceable in deep defence; however, his fellow USMNT compatriot Auston Trusty might have to fight for his place with Liam Scales. Besides Trusty, Dane Murray would also be there among substitutes, having featured extensively during pre-season. Anthony Ralston must operate from the right, even though Alistair Johnston returned to Lennoxtown a few days back after an extended break.

Midfield

Skipper Callum McGregor needs to do it again from the base of Brendan Rodgers’ three-man midfield set-up. There won’t be many changes in the centre of the pitch, with Arne Engels and Reo Hatate expected to keep hold of their first-team spots as box-to-box midfielders. Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan might get introduced from the bench as second-half substitutes.

Attack

Nicolas Kuhn’s move to Como has decimated the Hoops’ high up the pitch. While the talks are ongoing with several summer targets to bolster the attacking third, high-flying Hyun-Jun Yang should make it to the starting XI ahead of summer signing Benjamin Nygren or the experienced James Forrest for the time being. Daizen Maeda must occupy the left-wing role, allowing Adam Idah to spearhead the attack. Shin Yamada, Callum Osmand and Johnny Kenny might be deployed sporadically as squad options.