Celtic v Falkirk
Celtic

Celtic vs Falkirk

, KO: 15:00 , Celtic Park
Falkirk

It could take Celtic a while to get over their Champions League capitulation and Falkirk will be hoping there's a hangover when they travel to Parkhead on SPFL Premiership duty.

The Hoops somehow managed to blow a 4-0 aggregate lead against LASK on Tuesday as they lost 5-1 on the night to miss out on a place at Europe's top table.

That collapse could cost the club up to £30million and the pitiful display in Austria has left fans fuming again despite a promising start to the domestic campaign.

I had an inkling the tie with LASK wasn't over, despite Celtic leading 3-0 from the first leg, and cashed in as all three recommended bets landed for me on Tuesday night.

Martin O'Neill's defence just couldn't cope with the Austrians and they could have further problems against a progressive Falkirk side.

John McGlynn's men haven't made a great start to the SPFL Premiership campaign, banking just a point from their two games, but have players who can hurt the Hoops.

However, the Bairns will also be expecting a backlash from the wounded champions as Celtic bid to bounce back from that European humiliation.

How the bookies view it: Hurting Hoops to hit back

Despite that horror show in midweek, Celtic are just 2/9 with Bet365 to keep up their perfect record in domestic games this season. Falkirk are 10/1 rank outsiders and the draw pays 11/2.

Recent head to head: Nine in a woe for Bairns

Falkirk usually have a go against Celtic but it's often to their detriment and they've lost their last nine games against the Hoops.

The Bairns had to make four visits to Parkhead last term in league and cup and they lost by at least a two-goal margin in all those games.

Players to watch: Hassan off the leash?

It was a surprise when Martin O'Neill left new boy Haissem Hassan on the bench in Linz after the winger looked lively off the bench in the first leg. This could be the game the Egyptian is unleashed from the start and he's 11/10 for a first Celtic goal but I'm more drawn to the 2/1 at Bet365 for an assist.

Falkirk have fired blanks in both their SPFL Premiership games so far but Ben Parkison netted twice during the League Cup group phase. The Englishman is 15/4 to grab a goal at Parkhead.

Probable line-ups

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is available again for Celtic after a European ban and O'Neill may decide to freshen things up after his side played 120 minutes in Austria on Tuesday.

Kasper Hogh, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Colby Donovan and Kieran Tierney all had issues against LASK.

Falkirk remain without Tom Lang, Scott Tanser, Ethan Laidlaw, Keelan Adams and Aidan Nesbitt.

Celtic: Sinisalo, Ralston, Scales, Trusty, Tierney, McGregor, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Nygren, Hassan, Duran, Hogh.

Falkirk: Bain, McCann, Henderson, Neilson, Strain, Yeats, Barbrook, Krauhaus, Doherty, Parkinson, Ross

Anything else catch the eye?

Falkirk usually set up to attack under McGlynn and it has led to goals galore, especially on their trips to Celtic Park. Five of the last six meetings in Glasgow have seen three goals or more, with BTTS landing in half of those encounters.

Despite Falkirk failing to fire so far this season, I reckon they could get some joy against this Hoops defence and combining BTTS with over 2.5 goals pays 21/20 with Bet365.

McGlynn's side won seven corners on their last visit to Parkhead so over 2.5 Falkirk flag kicks also looks good at 8/11. I also like over 11 match corners and that pays 11/10 at Bet365.

This fixture is usually played in a good spirit and one of the teams failed to pick up a card in three of the six meetings last term. So try betting against both sides getting a card here at 13/8.

Celtic vs Falkirk Betting Tips & Predictions
Haissem Hassan assist
2/1
Bet365
Over 2.5 goals and BTTS
21/20
Bet365
Both teams to get a card? No
13/8
Bet365
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