Brendan Rodgers is expected to spring a few surprises in his Celtic starting XI for today’s Glasgow Derby at Ibrox, with fresh faces and tactical tweaks likely on the cards.

After a summer of squad reshaping, this is a major test of Celtic’s depth and flexibility under pressure.

With injuries and transfer activity affecting availability, today’s line-up could mark a shift in approach as Rodgers looks to maintain Celtic’s strong league start while navigating a tricky away fixture.

There’s been growing talk around the potential inclusion of Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Marcelo Saracchi, two of the Hoops’ recent arrivals. Both were brought in to add pace and dynamism, and there’s mounting speculation that Rodgers is ready to throw them straight into derby action.

At the back, with Anthony Ralston struggling with injury, and Kieran Tierney back in the fold, Rodgers has decisions to make on how best to balance the defence. Whether Saracchi comes in on the right or Tierney starts on his natural side could shape the team’s overall structure.

Midfield still has questions, but Callum McGregor will start as expected. With Reo Hatate showing signs of returning to top form, the main uncertainty lies in the final spot. Arne Engels has struggled for starts in recent weeks, while Benjamin Nygren has been favoured at times.

However, Nygren could be pushed further forward to start off the right wing, leaving the door open for someone else to slot into midfield alongside McGregor and Hatate.

Up front, all eyes are on who leads the line. Adam Idah’s situation remains unresolved amid links to Swansea, and his absence could open the door for Daizen Maeda to start centrally, or potentially Balikwisha to play a more advanced role. The wide areas are also up for grabs, with Nygren, Forrest, and Yang all in contention.

Celtic fans won’t need to wait much longer to see how it all unfolds.

Here is your Celtic Starting XI to face Rangers:

Kick-off at Ibrox is at 12:00 pm, with live coverage available on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. We’ll have more from the match and full post-game reaction following the final whistle.