Celtic’s December has been one of the toughest runs of games for the club in recent memory. Brendan Rodgers’ side are six matches deep in the month already and have three to go before 2017 is rung in.
Incredibly the Bhoys are undefeated in all of them and have won every single domestic match. Performances have been less convincing with rotation, tired legs and mental fatigue all contributing to victories that have had to be ground out, rather than secured via high score affairs.
That’s, of course, fine for Celtic fans. Knowing it’s a tricky period, positivity has not waned in the Hoops’ support. There’s no reason for it to either, as Rodgers’ side still haven’t been beaten domestically after all.
With a massive week ahead that culminates in a huge Glasgow Derby, it’s more important than ever to keep the forward motion going.
A tricky trip to Hamilton awaits, in likely stormy conditions, and Rodgers must get his team selection spot on once again.
This is the XI that we think can pick up another massive league win…
GK: Craig Gordon
Another clean sheet on Tuesday night means that Gordon has now kept ten shutouts since coming back into the side in place of Dorus de Vries at half-time against Kilmarnock in September.
That’s incredible form and although it’s, of course, an effort by the entire team, the Scottish international has made a number of key saves.
This Christmas Eve match presents a unique challenge for the ‘keeper with high winds and torrential rain expected to blight the occasion. This is never something a goalkeeper likes to experience so it could be one of his toughest outings of the season.
RB: Cristian Gamboa
Gamboa has been an exciting presence on Celtic’s right-hand side in the last two matches. He’s been given license to bomb forward at every opportunity with the Bhoys’ full-backs having to provide the side’s natural width with the absence of James Forrest and Scott Sinclair in recent weeks.
We’re expecting him to retain his place again with Mikael Lustig perhaps moving into the middle to replace Jozo Simunovic…
CB: Mikael Lustig
Hamilton play with an artificial pitch at New Douglas Park and with Jozo Simunovic still susceptible to injuries, especially on a surface like that, it makes sense for him to get his December rest during this match.
Lustig played in the middle on Tuesday night vs. Partick Thistle and knows his way around the job at hand there. He’d be a decent choice to form a Scandinavian partnership with our next pick in the line-up…
CB: Erik Sviatchenko
Sviatchenko was rested on Tuesday night, having been almost ever present in the side up to that point. Players, of course, want to play every game but it will have likely done him the world of good with his recent performances not quite up to the standard he’s set at Celtic in 2016.
He’ll come right back into the side and be the leader in that Hoops’ backline. Hamilton offered little in attack at Celtic Park a couple of weeks ago but at home they will want to show more in that department. The big man will be vital in keeping them out.
LB: Emilio Izaguirre
18-year-old Calvin Miller made his debut for Celtic on Tuesday night in place of Izaguirre who, like most players, deserved a rest after a tough run of fixtures.
Miller performed admirably but we’re expecting Izaguirre to come back in given the differing, more hostile nature to a game played away from home.
The Honduran’s biggest contribution will likely come in an attacking sense. Hamilton proved difficult to break down at Celtic Park and the left-back’s ability to get in behind defences could be key in setting up the chances for the strikers to stick away.
CM: Scott Brown
Brown has been reborn at Celtic this season. Rodgers has given him a new role in the Celtic side, instructing him to sit deep and even slip into a defensive back three when the Hoops full-backs have committed themselves forward in attack.
The anchor in the middle of the park that links defence and attack, he’ll be setting the standard for the performance today. If he’s in as good form as he’s been so far this season, Hamilton won’t be able to do much to defeat the Hoops.
CM: Nir Bitton
Bitton won his first start since October last week against Dundee and impressed generally across the 90 minutes and scored what proved to be the vital winning goal in the 2-1 victory.
He’s struggled to work his way back into the first-team but we reckon he deserves another chance against Hamilton to show what he can do.
After Rodgers gave younger players a go on Tuesday, we’re expecting the Israeli to come back into the side to be part of a midfield three alongside Brown and our next pick…
CM: Stuart Armstrong
With Scott Brown taking up a new role in the Celtic midfield, Armstrong is performing some of his duties of old.
He’s taken on the running role in the Celtic midfield, working tirelessly to the benefit of the entire team. Tracking back, driving with the ball, passing to wide areas, surging into the box off the ball; he’s been delivering the complete midfield performance for Rodgers in recent months.
We’re expecting him to play alongside Bitton in the Celtic midfield, with Brown sitting slightly deeper to protect the Bhoys’ defensively.
Rested on Tuesday, his legs should be fresh for this Christmas Eve encounter and has the chance to be Celtic’s best player once again.
RW: James Forrest
Forrest is expected to return to contention for a starting spot in the Celtic side after recovering from a hamstring injury he sustained at the Etihad Stadium in early December.
He may be more likely to come off the bench during the encounter but his match fitness should be good given he’s not been out for long and if he’s fit enough we’d play him from the start.
The winger is having one of his best seasons in Celtic colours and offers the Bhoys fantastic width and pace on the right-hand side. That’s something that’s been missing in recent weeks, including against Hamilton at Celtic Park, and could be the key to victory.
LW: Scott Sinclair
If not for Sinclair’s return to a starting spot against Partick Thistle, Celtic may well have dropped points. It was his instinctiveness that gave the Hoops victory and the cutting edge in an otherwise drab affair.
That’s eleven goals now for the Englishman including ten in the Scottish Premiership. Hamilton will have to produce quite the performance to keep him quiet.
ST: Leigh Griffiths
Griffiths missed out on Tuesday night after scoring three goals in his the three previous starts. Whether that was tactical or just for a rest remains a mystery but, for us, he deserves to go right back into the side for the Hamilton encounter.
Moussa Dembele hasn’t scored from open play since October and is struggling to hit the heights of the season’s early fixtures. He looks out of sorts and we’re not sure just playing him until he kicks into gear is the right way to manage that.
Dembele does desperately need a goal to find his confidence again but with points to win, Griffiths is the man to rely on. If he can fire Celtic one or two goals up then the young Frenchman can come on and play relatively pressure free.