Murray To Start? | Predicted 4-3-3 Celtic Lineup To Face Auchinleck Talbot In The Scottish Cup | OneFootball

Martin O’Neill has lifted the mood at Parkhead, as Celtic, after a 33-day nightmare under Wilfried Nancy, clinched back-to-back wins against Dundee United and Falkirk. The champions of Scotland will now kickstart their Scottish Cup campaign with a trip to East Ayrshire, as the non-league minnows Auchinleck Talbot are set to welcome them on Sunday evening.

Although it should be a stroll in the park for the Hoops, the Bot must be thrilled and excited to share the pitch with the Glasgow giants. Beechwood Park would be in full voice tomorrow, with the fans relishing 90 minutes of action regardless of the outcome.

Predicted 4-3-3 Celtic Lineup To Face Auchinleck Talbot

Defence

O’Neill should respect the opponents, but at the same time, has to rotate his options to keep them fit and fresh for the busy schedule ahead. Viljami Sinisalo deserves a start between the sticks, as the Finnish custodian has been the ‘number 2’ behind Kasper Schmeichel since his £1m transfer from Aston Villa in the summer of 2024.

Julian Araujo has brought back the vibes of Alistair Johnston with his overlapping runs and attacking prowess down the right-hand flank. But he must be rested in the Cup tie in favour of Colby Donovan. Stephen Welsh has been recalled from Motherwell as defensive cover. But he is expected to be on standby, as any appearance would make him ineligible to play somewhere else other than the Hoops or the Steelmen for the remainder of the campaign.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – DECEMBER 03: Joe Westley of Dundee vies with Luke McCowan of Celtic during the Premier League match between Celtic and Dundee at Celtic Park on December 03, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Dane Murray should get the nod in the heart of the backline alongside Liam Scales. Marcelo Saracchi still needs a couple of weeks to regain fitness, and the manager could opt for Anthony Ralston as a makeshift left-back to allow Kieran Tierney some breathing space. Besides Tierney, Auston Trusty also needs some time off, having featured 22 times already since recovering from an injury early in the campaign.

Midfield

Skipper Callum McGregor, as well as Arne Engels, Benjamin Nygren and Reo Hatate, have been the preferred midfield options so far this season across competitions. However, Paulo Bernardo might grab a rare start as a deep-lying playmaker, with Hatate and Luke McCowan operating box-to-box and offering their presence in and around the attacking third.

Attack

Kelechi Iheanacho, back in the team training, could make it among the substitutes against Auchinleck Talbot. Johnny Kenny is likely to spearhead the attack ahead of Daizen Maeda, and the rotation could benefit Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who has been a disappointment since his August transfer from Antwerp. James Forrest should appear from the right-hand flank, as first-team pair Hyun-Jun Yang and Sebastian Tounekti might only be introduced if required.