Scottish League Cup Semi Final Preview
After a successful international break that saw Scotland clinch a seeded world cup playoff spot, the attention of the country now shifts back to domestic action. With Hampden Park playing host to the League Cup semi-finals this weekend, Celtic take on holders St.Johnstone in the Saturday evening kick off and Rangers face Hibs on Sunday afternoon. An exciting weekend of cup action awaits and the fans will be flocking in their thousands to watch their teams at Hampden for the first time since the pandemic started.
Celtic vs St.Johnstone
Callum Davidson’s side come into the tie as holders after their magnificent cup double last season. The Saints will be reluctant to concede their title to Ange Postecoglou’s men who are chasing their first piece of silverware under their new manager. The standards set last season by St.Johnstone will be hard to live up to but they will be eager to kick on and land themselves in a cup final after a somewhat disappointing start to their league campaign, that sees them sat 9th in the table. Celtic come into this game after an impressive vein of form before the international break which sees them unbeaten in domestic action since their slip up to Livingston back in September. Celtic have been in fine goal scoring form with summer acquisitions Kyogo and Jota proving to be prolific marksman since joining, as the pair both scored braces in a 4-2 win away to Dundee before the break. Celtic have fared well at Hampden in recent years and fans will be hopeful for this to continue under their new manager and with many of the squad playing at the national stadium for the first time. St.Johnstone have been dealt an injury blow as they look to be without attacking options Stevie May and Glen Middleton for their trip to Hampden. Both sides have so much to play for as Callum Davidson looks to prove his team can compete consistently with the top sides for trophies. Ange Postecoglou will also be desperate to lay down a marker this season and aim to win the first trophy available to his side.
The last meeting between the two saw Celtic comfortable 2-0 victors at Celtic Park in which the Parkhead side were unlucky not to have won by more. St.Johnstone will look to have a much better showing this Saturday at Hampden and eradicate the comical defensive errors that have plagued them in recent games.
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou. Source - Getty Images
Rangers vs Hibernian
The focus of this match has been marred by off field speculation over the vacant manager’s position at Ibrox after the departure of Steven Gerrard to Aston Villa during the international break. Rangers will be without a manager in the dugout, with a makeshift coaching team including Jermain Defoe and B team manager David McCallum being assembled to take charge in the meantime. Hibs will be in action for the first time since a 3-1 home defeat to Celtic on October 27th after having matches postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad. Fatigue and a lack of match sharpness may prove difficult for Hibs especially with players just recovering from the illness. The uncertainty surrounding the Rangers managerial situation may prove a distraction for the players as they are left in the lurch about the direction of the club. Speculation has arisen that former player Giovanni Van Bronckhorst will take over at Ibrox as the Dutchman flew into London for talks over the weekend with club representatives. Fans will be hoping the situation will be resolved sooner rather than later and allow them to kick on into a new post Gerrard era at the club. Hibs will be eager to forget the poor run of form they suffered prior to their Covid-19 outbreak, that saw them lose four games on the bounce in the league including to Rangers. With patience wearing thin amongst the Hibs faithful, progression to a cup final may be the lifeline Jack Ross so desperately needs.
The fixture is always an eventful one and one full of talking points, with their last meeting subject to red card controversy in a 2-1 Rangers win at Ibrox. Hibs will be desperate to avenge the loss and a potentially action packed affair awaits the Hampden turf this Sunday.
Rangers player and coach Jermain Defoe. Source - Getty Images