Celtic predicted line

It has been a long season and Celtic have the chance to finish it off with a bang when they take on Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Hampden in the Scottish Cup final.

The champions have conceded just one goal in the competition this season and after already winning the League Cup and title, they will be hoping to clinch a world record eighth treble.

Billy Dodds' side will be aiming to cause an upset at the national stadium and history could be in their favour as they have knocked the Hoops out of the Scottish Cup three times over the last years.

Ange Postecoglou has several key decisions to make leading into the fixture.

Who will he choose to start the showpiece fixture?

Our writers have their say...

It is vital that Postecoglou picks the strongest team possible for this match and there is no doubt he will do exactly that.

Joe Hart will remain between the sticks. There is a discussion to be had about his future as the number-one goalkeeper, but for now, he is the only option in that position.

Alistair Johnston will begin the game at right-back as he has been given the all-clear after limping off last week against Aberdeen. The centre-back pairing will be Carl Starfelt and Yuki Kobayashi as the partnership looks to finish the season on a positive note after a few shaky performances recently. Greg Taylor will continue at left-back to end what has been a great season for him.

Callum McGregor will anchor the midfield from the number six position and he will be joined in that area by Reo Hatate and Matt O'Riley who will occupy the two number eight roles.

Up front, Jota will start on the right-hand side, Kyogo Furuhashi will play through the middle and Daizen Maeda will begin the match on the left wing.

Aidan's team: Hart; Johnston, Starfelt, Kobayashi, Taylor; McGregor, O'Riley, Hatate; Jota, Kyogo, Maeda

With a Treble Yell they Celtic fans will cry: 'More, More, More!'

Celtic will certainly not be bone idle but treble 'Idols' come the end of this contest against Billy Dodds Highlanders.

Postecoglou wants his 'beautiful football moment'. That is to lead Celtic to a domestic treble and etch his name in lights alongside Jock Stein, Martin O'Neil, Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon.

Nothing but the strongest team possible will be selected to grant his wish. Hart will be in goals, and Johnston and Taylor will be deployed as the marauding inverted full-backs on the right and left respectively. Tomoki Iwata wasn't tested much against Aberdeen but he is a fine distributor of the ball and he stays in situ from last weekend and he will feature alongside Starfelt.

In the midfiled for one final time it will be the triumvirate of skipper Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Matt O'Riley. McGregor has bagged a goal or two at Hampden on the big occasion but this mght well be the time and the stage for his engine room teammates to shine and get on the scoresheet.

The biggest selection headache/dilemma/quandary - call it what you will - is who spearheads the attack?

Kyogo limped off with an injury against the Reds but there is no way the 33-goal Japanese talisman won't start at Hampden Park. Kyogo loves a cup final strike and the chances of him adding to his tally against the Championship outfit are quite high. Jota on the right wing and Maeda on the left flank to supply the ammunition.

Jobs a good 'un for Celtic as they will cement an unprecedented world record eighth treble as well as their 41st Scottish Cup success in the 138th staging of the final as Postecoglou makes it five trophies out of six in his managerial tenure to date.

Tony's team: Hart; Johnston, Starfelt, Iwata, Taylor; McGregor, Hatate, O'Riley; Jota, Kyogo, Maeda

Postecoglou understands the gravity of this fixture and occasion, so I have no doubt that he will select the strongest team available to him.

Hart will remain in goals as expected, with the chance to win his fifth trophy in just two years at the club. In the centre of defence, I would expect Iwata to retain his place alongside Starfelt, after the Japan defender put in a solid display against Aberdeen. For the full-back positions, it will be Johnston and Taylor who occupy these slots, both of whom are integral to Celtic playing their best on the park.

In the midfield, McGregor will lead the side out, accompanied by Hatate and O’Riley in the other two slots. An attacking midfield for hopefully an attacking display by the team. Hatate in particular had a rare off-day last time out at Hampden, so I would expect a continuation of his stellar performance against Aberdeen for this one. Expect goals to come from the midfield.

Up front, I think Hyeon-gyu Oh will get the nod over Kyogo, who has been an injury doubt all week. The South Korea striker has two goals in his last three games and looks the part whenever he features. Jota and Maeda will occupy either side of him as Celtic look to go for their eighth domestic treble, hopefully in style with plenty of goals from these forward avenues.

Ryan's team: Hart; Johnston, Starfelt, Iwata, Taylor; McGregor, Hatate, O'Riley; Jota, Oh, Maeda

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