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Celtic vs. Hearts: Starting XI’s and analysis

ByAndrew Coppens|
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - APRIL 29: Celtic players celebrate at the final whistle after beating rangers 5-1 during the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership match between Rangers FC and Celtic FC at Ibrox Stadium on April 29, 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - APRIL 29: Celtic players celebrate at the final whistle after beating rangers 5-1 during the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership match between Rangers FC and Celtic FC at Ibrox Stadium on April 29, 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

This is it folks…one last Scottish Premiership match for the 2016-17 season. It’s a home matchup with Hearts and while the title has been locked up for months now, today is the official celebration.

Fans are planning a giant tifo to honor the Lisbon Lions and this team will be looking to make some history of its own. There’s an undefeated league season on the line to go along with the possibility of setting the Scottish record for the most points and the most goals scored in a single season.

Knowing that, don’t expect Brendan Rodgers’ side to take this match lightly. About the only question is what Rodgers will do with his Starting XI, given there is a date with Aberdeen for the Scottish Cup final later on this week.

Does an invincible season in the league trump a domestic treble? Or will Rodgers find a way to balance his side out and go for the complete sweep of the Scottish domestic scene?

Let’s take a look at the Starting XI’s for both sides.

Celtic Starting XI:

Hearts Starting XI:

Analysis:

The past month has all been about squad rotation and today is no different. While most of the regulars in Celtic’s Starting XI are in this lineup, you do see some changes to the regular side.

Cristian Gamboa is once again preferred to Mikael Lustig at right back, meanwhile regulars Stuart Armstrong and Scott Sinclair are back in the Starting XI after missing out on full match duty earlier in the week.

One thing is clear from this lineup and the bench that Celtic have put out there — they aren’t taking this match lightly and expect to win.

Keep in mind that a single point gives Celtic the all-time single season points record and two goals gives them the single-season goals record as well. To those ends, having a full attacking lineup of Patrick Roberts, Armstrong, Sinclair and Griffiths in the mix should do the trick against Hearts.

The visitors make a few changes, even getting Jamie Brandon his first team debut. American Perry Kitchen, who has been the Hearts captain most of the season has been left on the bench for the season finale.

Given Celtic’s six-goal outburst on Thursday, could we be in store for more against Hearts? The visitors do have one of the worst goal differentials of all the top six clubs, coming in at just plus-5 heading in to this match.

Next: Could Patrick Roberts Really Stay at Celtic?

Look for Celtic to put the foot to the floor and take this match as quickly as possible. This one is all about celebration and what better way to celebrate a league title than to break some more records, right?

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