Celtic face Rangers in the Carabao Cup final at Hampden Park today with a chance to win their first trophy of the 2024/25 season.
The Hoops were knocked out by Kilmarnock last season and could only watch from afar as their Glasgow rivals lifted the trophy.
Brendan Rodgers can make amends for that with this win, with his side heading into the game following a 0-0 draw with Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
The Northern Ireland manager may consider making some changes to Croatia’s starting XI, including the return of Arne Engels.
Why Arne Engels should start against Rangers
The summer signing from Augsburg could be back in the squad as he has impressed on the big stage so far this season.
Engels contributed three assists in two League Cup games, including two against Aberdeen in the semi-finals, which illustrates the creativity he can bring to the team.
The Belgian international also score a goal And he has provided three assists in six appearances in the Champions League, further proving that the young gem can contribute in the final third of important games.
Engels is likely to replace Paul Bernardo and the 21-year-old starlet may not be the only change as Rodgers could boldly bring in Adam Ida ahead of Keigo Furuhashi from the start.
Why Adam Idah should start against Rangers
The former Leicester City and Liverpool boss must start the Ireland international from the start as he is physically fit to start in a big game.
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Kyogo 100% duel failure (4/4) Against Dinamo Zagreb, he completed only 3 passes in 72 minutes, while Ida had a 100% win rate (2/2) against Dinamo Zagreb, And completed 3 passes as a substitute in 18 minutes.
The 6-foot-3 shooter can handle the ball more effectively and be involved in the build-up phase than Kyogo, who sometimes struggled to get into games due to his lack of physicality.
24/25 Premier League | ||
|---|---|---|
Number of appearances | 14 | 12 |
start | 10 | 5 |
Target | 6 | 5 |
missed opportunity | 14 | 8 |
Duel success rate | 35% | 42% |
Aerial duel success rate | 20% | 56% |
Statistics via Sofascore | ||
As you can see in the table above, the Japanese forward has only scored one more goal than Date in the Scottish Premiership despite starting twice as many games and missing six stunning goals. Good opportunity.”
the irish were Known as “incredible” Rodgers also has a much higher win rate in duels and in the air, which illustrates how much the former Norwich man brings to the game from a physical perspective.
Therefore, the Celtic boss must boldly release Date ahead of regular starter Keigo, who, given his return, could be an excellent option off the bench if the team needs a goal in the second half. Scored 8 goals in 15 games Clash with Rangers.
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