Celtic manager Martin O'Neill is weighing a tactical change for his side's Premiership trip to face St Johnstone on Wednesday. The 74-year-old boss hinted he might adjust his system to get his best available players on the pitch for the match at McDiarmid Park, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from 7.30pm.
O'Neill is assessing his options after a mixed start to the season. St Johnstone, managed by Simo Valakari, currently sit seventh in the Premiership with seven points from five games. Their record shows two wins, one draw, and two losses, with a recent form of WDLLW. They have scored eight goals and conceded eight, leaving them with a zero goal difference. The Saints are eight points behind league leaders Celtic.
O'Neill confirmed the return of defender Kasper Hogh from injury in the last couple of days. Veteran full-back Kieran Tierney has also done some training work, though his readiness is still being evaluated. "We've got Kasper back the last couple of days and Kieran did a little bit of work with us, so we'll have a look to see how they are," O'Neill told reporters. "We've got a couple of other fitness issues with players, but will try to go as strongly as we possibly can."
The manager's potential system rejig comes amid several absences. Forward Hyun Jun Yang is away on international duty with South Korea and will miss four matches due to the Asian Games. Callum Osmand remains out with an ankle injury and is not due back until next month. This forces O'Neill to be creative with his selections for the midweek fixture.
Young attacker Camilo Duran will be hoping for a chance after contributing three goals and an assist this season. His goal in a recent 2-1 win over St Mirren was controversially disallowed for offside. Another option is 18-year-old Shim Mheuka, an on-loan Chelsea forward who also had a goal ruled out in Paisley. Mheuka spoke about his mindset coming off the bench. "When you come on, in your mind, you want to try and take that one opportunity that might come to you," he said. "It's just about staying positive whenever you can, always believe in putting yourself in the right positions."
St Johnstone's strong home form adds another layer to O'Neill's planning. Valakari's side have won their opening two home Premiership games this campaign, making McDiarmid Park a tough venue. Celtic's task is to disrupt that perfect record and close the gap at the top of the standings.
For St Johnstone, this match is a major test against the reigning champions. Their next fixture after this is a home game against Dundee United on October 17th. United are currently ninth in the table, so that match will be important for the Saints' league position. Fans can track the team's progress and upcoming schedule on the club's official fixtures page.
The squad's current injury situation is also detailed on the club's injuries hub. A positive result against Celtic would provide a massive boost ahead of that run of games. The match kicks off at 7.30pm on Wednesday, September 10th, 2026.
