Auston Trusty should partner CCV at Ibrox but there’s a 3-5-2 curveball alternative | OneFootball

As you would expect there has been plenty of debates among the Celtic supporters regarding Martin O’Neill’s starting XI for Sunday’s trip to a 100% hostile Ibrox in the Premier Sports Cup quarter final tie…

9th September 2026; McDiarmid Park, Scottish Premiership St Johnstone versus Celtic; Auston Trusty of Celtic on the ball. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

One area that is the main focus is the centre of the defence, with a few mixed suggestions as to who partners Cameron Carter Vickers at the heart of the Celtic defence.

Despite Auston Trusty starting alongside his fellow USA international teammate on most occasions this campaign, some are tipping a return of the reliable CCV – Liam Scales partnership.

9th September 2026; McDiarmid Park, Scottish Premiership St Johnstone versus Celtic; Liam Scales of Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Scales has been standing in for the injured Kieran Tierney at left back these past few games, after sitting out the first two league matches of the campaign through a suspension carried over from last season.

Now with Scotland left-back Tierney back to full fitness, he’s a cert to start in the cauldron of Ibrox tomorrow afternoon.

I like Liam Scales as a player, he never lets us down, and is ultra experienced in big games.  He wouldn’t be fazed in the slightest at being pitched in at a hostile Ibrox but for me, Auston Trusty would be the first choice to partner CCV for the Ibrox tomorrow.

8th March 2026; Ibrox Scottish Cup. Rangers versus Celtic; Auston Trusty of Celtic celebrate after Celtic win on penalties. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

The big American is often criticised, sometimes deservedly, some not so much, but he’s a player that’s made for the big occasion, as past experiences have shown.

The former Arsenal and Sheffield United man is sometimes guilty of overthinking, especially in games that he has very little to do, but when it comes to being on the back foot, he’s firmly focused and is very much a commanding figure when put under the cosh.

He’s more than proved that on the big stage, with commanding away performances against the likes of Atalanta and Stuttgart in Europe proof of his ability in games of a high pressure magnitude.

The 28 year old was also a stand out in defence in our last outing at Ibrox back in March, proving to be an absolute rock at the back for a depleted Hoops side, as well as expertly tucking away a penalty kick in a pressure filled shootout.

Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic applauds the fans after the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on August 29, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Cameron Carter-Vickers is I believe a certain starter tomorrow and Auston Trusty should be the man who partners him as we bid to book our place in the Premier Sports cup semi finals.

Could Martin O’Neill go 3-5-2?

Martin O’Neill

The only way that I can see Liam Scales starting is if CCV is still carrying a knock that has been kept quiet or if the curveball that Chris Sutton was speculating about this morning, isn’t to do with the striker position but instead a formation change to play 3-5-2 with Scales joining Trusty and Carter-Vickers at the back and KT pushed up to be the wide player of the left of Celtic’s midfield with Hassan on the right.

9th August 2026; Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Kilmarnock versus Celtic; Kasper Hogh of Celtic celebrates with the match ball after his hat trick. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou

That would allow a striker partnership of Hogh and Duran to threaten the Rangers backline.

An interesting thought but I can’t see Martin experimenting with that in this particular game, under these particular circumstances with no away support in the stadium.

So it’s CCV and Trusty for me in the centre of Celtic’s back four.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

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