CELTIC fans had a happy Hogmanay after celebrating a derby win over Rangers but there's the potential for a hangover as they take on St Mirren in the final game before the winter break.
Our man Mark backed the Hoops to come out on top in the derby and they delivered by claiming a 2-1 victory that sent them eight points clear of Philippe Clement's side in the SPFL Premiership.
It could be a key moment in the title race but Rangers still have two games in hand so Brendan Rodgers' men can ill afford any more stumbles after coughing up 12 points in games against the other Premiership sides.
St Mirren were flying earlier in the season as they romped clear in third place but the Buddies then hit a slump that saw them win just three times in 15 games.
That saw them slip down the table but Stephen Robinson's side returned to form at the weekend with an impressive 3-0 victory away to Aberdeen, a result that has left them just four points adrift of Hearts in third place.
St Mirren were a thorn in Celtic's side last season, winning 2-0 in Paisley and drawing 2-2 at Parkhead, so they will be confident of giving the Hoops another bloody nose ahead of the winter break.
How the bookies view it
Celtic are heavy favourites for this one at a best 30/100 with Betway while St Mirren are as big as 11/1 with Coral. The stalemate pays 9/2 with most firms.
Recent head to head
Paisley hasn't been a particularly happy hunting ground for Celtic of late, with the Hoops failing to win in four of their last 12 visits. They did romp to a 5-1 victory on their last trip to the SMISA Stadium but only after St Mirren had taken the lead and had a man sent off. Celtic won 2-1 at home when these sides faced off earlier in the season with sub Oh Hyeon-gyu hitting a late winner.
Players to watch
Jonah Ayunga tormented a makeshift Celtic defence when St Mirren beat Celtic 2-0 last season and scored the clincher that day. The Hoops have injuries at the back again for this game and Ayunga looks overpriced at 13/2 with Bet365 for a goal.
Kyogo Furuhashi scored a stunner to seal victory over Rangers and now looks back in the groove after a seven-game drought ended against Livingston just before Christmas. The Japanese striker is 21/20 with Bet365 to grab another goal in Paisley.
Anything else catch the eye?
Both teams to score has landed in the last four meetings of these sides and I fancy it again here with Cameron Carter-Vickers and Stephen Welsh both out injured for Celtic. It pays 11/10 with most firms and that looks good value.
Maik Nawrocki is likely to start in defence for the Hoops after coming off the bench in Saturday's derby. He still looks a bit raw and is prone to diving into challenges. That earned him a booking against Rangers and the Pole is 13/2 at Bet365 for another booking which looks overpriced. Alex Gogic is the most likely candidate for a St Mirren card and he's much shorter at 21/10 with the same firm.
Celtic won 12-2 on the corner count when these sides faced off earlier in the season and have been regularly racking up double figures against teams who have set up to frustrate. They even amassed an incredible 23 on their last road trip in Dundee so going for Hoops corners could pay off again here. Over 8.5 Celtic flag kicks looks great value at evens with Bet365 while backing them at -5 in the handicap is the same price.
This Scottish Premiership match between St Mirren and Celtic will be played on Jan 2, 2024 and kick off at 17:00. Check below for our tipsters best St Mirren vs Celtic prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
In December 2020 we sadly 
