The Celtic call to arms Jota is set to answer as Brendan Rodgers hints at 'numbers' game for Dundee Utd clash
Celtic are set to press the rotation button and does that mean Jota will get another start?
Rotation looks like the name of the game for Celtic as Brendan Rodgers looks to keep things fresh against Dundee United.
And that could mean a nod for Jota from the start as he continues his surge back towards peak fitness. The Hoops went the distance against Bayern Munich during the week, and while they might have feared a doing when Harry Kane made it 2-0 just four minutes into the second half, Daizen Maeda's late goal to half the deficit leaves them in with a chance ahead of Tuesday's return leg in Munich.
But they can't afford to take their eye of league business either as Jim Goodwin looks to cause an upset at Parkhead. Celtic will be without Paulo Bernardo for up to five weeks and while that limits the rotation Rodgers can turn to, the boss admits the 'numbers' game is likely to be at play.
“Paulo has got his ankle in a boot," he said ahead of the game. "So, yeah, so he'll be maybe four or five weeks. Paulo's obviously done great for us this season and what we've tried to do with all the players is try and show we keep them fit by rotating and maximising the whole squad. Sadly, he's out for another little while. But we've still got good numbers in that position. With so many games, it's needed.”
So what does that mean for the starting XI?
Predicted Celtic XI for Dundee United
Jota has been eased in since returning to Parkhead last month but a start against Dundee last time out showed Rodgers isn't shy about throwing him in. And he may do the same here against the other Tayside team with Nicolas Kuhn one who could be rested for the Champions League.
Bernardo's injury meanwhile limits the midfield rotation, but Luke McCowan is available and he'll get the chance to offer something different – whether that's from the start or off the bench. Jeffrey Schlupp, meanwhile, presents a viable alternative to Greg Taylor, and we're predicting a few changes with Rodgers looking to keep things fresh.