Time To Get Up For The Cup: A Betfred Cup Final Preview

BETFRED CUP FINAL: MOTHERWELL V CELTIC; SUNDAY 26TH NOVEMBER 3:00PM

Celtic look to retain the Betfred Cup Final we won last year in the final against Motherwell at Hampden Park.

Team Selection: Celtic face a bit of a dilemma, as Mikael Lustig could miss out after going off injured against PSG on Wednesday.

If Lustig can’t make it, it seems likely that Cristian Gamboa will come back into the side. Nir Bitton is also a doubt for the game.

The likes of Scott Sinclair and Stuart Armstrong seem certain to start after missing out against PSG, the same could be said of Patrick Roberts, who may well replace James Forrest.

Craig Gordon will continue on goal, with presumably the back four being Tierney, Simunovic, Boyata and Gamboa. Brown, McGregor and Armstrong will be the men in the middle of the park with Sinclair, and possibly Roberts on the wing. Moussa Dembele should be the man up-front.

The likes of Griffiths and Forrest are more than capable of causing Motherwell trouble from the bench.

Previous Meetings: Celtic’s last cup final against Motherwell was the 2011 Scottish Cup Final, where goals from Ki Sung-Yeung, a Stephen Craigan own goal and a Charlie Mulgrew free-kick gave Celtic a 3-0 win in a game played in dreadful conditions at Hampden.

Prediction: This game - which will include a tribute to the late, great Celtic and Motherwell midfielder Phil O’Donnell - could prove to be a tough encounter for the Celts. We’ve had to play in midweek, whilst Motherwell are fresh. We’ll also have to deal with Motherwell’s ‘industrial’ challenges. The key man for Motherwell is obviously Louis Moult, and we can keep him quiet then we should be able to make our experience count.

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