Celtic return to domestic action this weekend, as they take on Hearts at home on Saturday afternoon.

In their first Saturday fixture this season, Brendan Rodgers’ side will be hoping to continue their invincible and unblemished start to the season in all competitions. For Steven Naismith’s side, they will be looking to record their first win of the campaign, losing their last six games on the spin – their only point coming against Rangers on the opening day.

However, Celtic vs Hearts is always a feisty affair, regardless of the respective sides’ form coming into the occasion. With all of that being said, who will Celtic elect to play versus the Jambos? The Celtic Way’s Ryan McGinlay and Tony Haggerty each have their say…

Ryan McGinlay

Indeed, there seems to be quite a bit of excitement for the return of Celtic following a couple of weeks off – helped, of course, by the lack of injuries surrounding the club presently. Those training photos on Friday afternoon were a welcome addition to the Celtic social media circles, as the club’s strength in depth was pictured for all to see.

Rodgers has quite a few decisions to make, in a number of areas across the park. With three games in the next eight days, the manager will have to manoeuvre his squad effectively concerning rotation, as Celtic prepare to fight on three fronts over the coming weeks.

In goals, Kasper Schmeichel will be looking to make it five clean sheets in five games in the Scottish Premiership, as his impressive start to life as a Celtic player continues between the sticks against Hearts. He will be joined by the full-back pairing of Greg Taylor and Alistair Johnston on the left and right respectively, as both trained on Friday ahead of this match. The pair have started the season extremely well and will be looking to dictate proceedings on each flank.

I’m going to throw a bit of a curveball with the centre-backs, as I reckon Auston Trusty will make his first start for Celtic alongside his international teammate Cameron Carter-Vickers. £6 million defenders do not come to the club and sit on the bench, after all. Let's see how this All-American central-defensive partnership takes shape, unfortunately at the expense of Liam Scales, who has a massive part to play in this campaign.

Moving on to the most contested area concerning squad depth, the midfield is full of talent this season, even after Matt O’Riley’s departure to Brighton. August’s Player of the Month Callum McGregor will continue to lead his teammates into battle, but I am predicting a first start for Arne Engels in place of Reo Hatate. Much like Trusty, £11 million of talent will not want to be sitting on the bench, coupled with the tremendous form of Paulo Bernardo at present. Hatate will have to make do with a bench spot – a sentence I thought I would never utter! As mentioned, Bernardo will keep his spot, though his positioning on the park is up for debate concerning where Rodgers elects to play him. Celtic’s midfield is an intimidating challenge for any opponent to come up against at the moment.

In the attacking areas, Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn will occupy the left and right-wing spots respectively, after both quality and determination in the recent Glasgow Derby win last time out. Expect both to cause Hearts all kinds of problems on Saturday afternoon. Adam Idah will have to wait for his next starting spot, as Kyogo Furuhashi will lead the line once again as the sole striker for Celtic.

Rodgers’ side will pile on the misery for Hearts and put on the style for an expectant home crowd. Celtic to win by at least three clear goals, and move eight points clear of Rangers, who play on Sunday.

Ryan’s team: Schmeichel, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; McGregor, Bernardo, Engels; Kuhn, Kyogo, Maeda

Tony Haggerty

There is an old saying if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Celtic ain't broke. That's for sure.

Rodgers' men would not have wanted the international break to come along as they were riding the crest of a wave. Five wins in five Scottish Premiership and League Cup matches as well as a thumping 3-0 win over city rivals Rangers saw the Irishman's side gather real momentum before it was brought to a shuddering halt.

Domestic matters resume at 3 pm on Saturday inside Celtic Park in what is shaping up to be a wonderful eight days for the club with Slovan Bratislava lying in wait in G40 on Wednesday night followed by a League Cup quarter-final clash against Falkirk at the same venue next Sunday. The first challenge is Hearts who don't exactly have their problems to seek with no wins this season.

However, Rodgers cannot afford to dwell on the woes afflicting Naismith and co. The 51-year-old has to concentrate fully on the job at hand and the chance to register early scoreboard pressure on Rangers by moving eight points clear of the Light Blues who travel to Tannadice to face Dundee United 24 hours later.

Who will Rodgers choose for this particular domestic battle? Schmeichel - who has still only conceded one goal this season - will look to maintain his magnificent record thus far in between the sticks. 

Johnston - despite being forced to withdraw from Canada's match against the USA with a tight hamstring - will play versus Hearts. The right-back will slot in alongside Taylor at left-back with Carter-Vickers and Scales in the heart of the Celtic defence. Valle and Trusty will have to wait a little bit longer before taking their respective bows but both could see game time against the Jambos.

In midfield, the only real dilemma facing Rodgers is whether to start £11 million man Engels in the engine room. The heart says yes, but the head believes Rodgers will keep faith with the men that have gotten Celtic into this position thus far. Rodgers has a clear game plan for Engels and that is in Europe. Engels will have to make do with another appearance from the bench.

So that leaves the tried and tested midfield triumvirate of Bernardo, Captain McGregor and Hatate to continue their respective rich veins of domestic form and who were all excellent in the one-sided triumph over Philippe Clement's men.

Up front, Kyogo gets the nod to lead the line after opening his account this season in fine style with a stunner against Rangers. He will be ably assisted on the left by Maeda who once again was instrumental in putting Rangers to the sword. Kuhn will be deployed on the right flank to tease and torment the visiting defence.

It could be a long day for the capital club. Take Celtic to win by four clear at least.

Tony's team: Schmeichel; Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor; Bernardo, McGregor, Hatate; Maeda, Kyogo, Kuhn.