Two teams competing for contrasting goals will meet on Sunday as league leaders Celtic host Dundee, who are currently sat inside the relegation zone.
The Hoops head into the game fresh from a midweek defeat in the Europa Conference League; meanwhile, the Dark Blues are now under new management following the sacking of James McPake.
Match preview
© Reuters
Celtic were left with an unfamiliar feeling on Thursday night as they suffered a 3-1 defeat against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa Conference League, with Daizen Maeda scoring a crucial goal in the 79th minute to keep them in the tie.
This was the first time that Ange Postecoglou's team have lost in 17 games, and they will be hoping to quickly get themselves back to winning ways on Sunday, in their first outing.
The Hoops have been dominant within the league as of late, and since the turn of the year, they have been able to keep four clean sheets in their six Scottish Premiership fixtures, with Joe Hart putting together some good performances.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the field Postecoglou's men have been just as impressive, with no team in the division having scored more goals than them, which is something that could prove to be crucial this weekend.
The last time the two teams met at Celtic Park, the home side took all three points with an emphatic 6-0 victory, and in their reverse fixture, it was a 4-2 win, showcasing the dominance they have had over the Dark Blues so far.
© Reuters
Dundee have had a difficult season, which has left them in 11th place so far, and that led to the club making the decision to fire McPake, with Mark McGhee being tasked with trying to keep them up, taking charge until the end of the season.
The decision to change management did come as a surprise due to the improved performances from the Dark Blues as of late, with the club having only lost once in their previous six outings.
Dundee have managed to pick up four clean sheets in that period, with stronger defensive displays helping them progress in the Scottish Cup, while also picking up points in the league.
The squad defeated Hearts 2-1 in their most recent league fixture, while they earned a place in the quarter-finals during their most recent outing with an emphatic 5-0 victory.
These performances will have pushed some confidence into the squad, who are currently six points adrift of safety, with a game in hand, and they shall be aiming to place more pressure on Ross County this Sunday.
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
- L
- L
- D
- D
- L
- W
- W
- D
- D
- L
- W
- W
Team News
© Reuters
Celtic made a whole host of changes in midweek following their Scottish Cup match, and Sunday is likely to see a more stable lineup, with Postecoglou wanting to bring the consistency back.
Maeda will be set to lead the line once again as his form in front of goal continues, while Tom Rogic is likely to sit just behind him as the creative midfielder.
Sunday shall provide Dundee fans a glimpse of what they can expect with McGhee as manager, therefore it will be interesting to see if there is a change in formation from the 4-3-3 that they have been using previously.
Niall McGinn scored his first goal for the club during their most recent outing, and he will likely continue to be used from the start, while Charlie Adam can also provide experience in midfield.
Celtic possible starting lineup:
Hart; Juranovic, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Taylor; McGregor, O'Riley; Abada, Rogic, Jota; Maeda
Dundee possible starting lineup:
Lawlor; McGhee, Sweeney, Rossi, Kerr; Byrne, Adam, McCowan; McGinn, McMullan, Mullen
We say: Celtic 2-1 Dundee
Both teams are in good form overall heading into this match, despite their vastly different league positions, and with each club having a lot to fight for, it could lead to a close encounter.
Ultimately, the Hoops should have enough to just squeeze through in this one, with the quality inside the squad providing them with the advantage at home.
Top tip
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Celtic win with a probability of 81.01%. A draw had a probability of 12.8% and a win for Dundee had a probability of 6.16%.
The most likely scoreline for a Celtic win was 2-0 with a probability of 13.32%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 3-0 (11.91%) and 1-0 (9.94%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (6.1%), while for a Dundee win it was 0-1 (2.28%). The actual scoreline of 3-2 was predicted with a 2.2% likelihood. Our team at Sports Mole and our data analysis both correctly predicted that Celtic would win this match.
