Celtic travel to Ayrshire on Sunday to face Kilmarnock, as Brendan Rodgers’ side look to make it five consecutive wins in all competitions at Rugby Park.

Following Tuesday night’s massive Champions League victory over RB Leipzig, Celtic take on Derek McInnes’ side, who have had a week to prepare for this match since their 3-2 away defeat to Dundee. 

Funnily enough, Tony Docherty’s side was the last Scottish Premiership opposition that Celtic faced, winning 2-0, before wins against Aberdeen and Leipzig in the League Cup and Champions League respectively.

With all of that being said, what team will Rodgers elect to pick for this match, given the plastic surface at Rugby Park? The Celtic Way’s Ryan McGinlay and Tony Haggerty each have their say…

Ryan McGinlay

Celtic have a real opportunity to make this a very good week concerning on-field matters.

Indeed, after Tuesday’s heroics in the Champions League versus RB Leipzig, the club can end this block of games on a high by defeating Kilmarnock away from home, though that will be no easy task, especially given Celtic’s sketchy form in Ayrshire.

With Aberdeen playing on Saturday and Rangers on Sunday directly after Celtic, it gives Rodgers' side a chance to take stock of what is going on in the league, as well as pile the pressure on Rangers and Aberdeen - if they drop points.

Because of this, Celtic will name a strong squad for this one, though there will be a few changes from Tuesday night’s Champions League efforts. In goal, Kasper Schmeichel will feature, having put in a shift against Leipzig to preserve Celtic’s lead when they went ahead. In defence, Auston Trusty will shake off his injury concerns to start alongside Liam Scales, as Cameron Carter-Vickers will not be risked on an artificial surface from the off - it’s all about the long game, after all. Alex Valle will return at left-back, while Alistair Johnston will be deployed on the other side as right-back.

In the midfield, captain Callum McGregor will keep his place, as will Reo Hatate in the furthest forward position in the engine room. I think that Paulo Bernardo will play in the number eight position in place of Arne Engels, who put in a shift on Tuesday. Bernardo deserves a start - he’ll get one at Rugby Park. Regardless of what midfield Rodgers elects to pick, just know that they'll be strong in this key area of the pitch.

There will be one change to the forward line, as Kyogo Furuhashi will be replaced by Adam Idah up front. in May, Idah was instrumental in everything good about Celtic the last time they travelled to Ayrshire, so the Irishman will get his chance from the start. Despite calls for Yang Hyun-jun, Nicolas Kuhn will start on the right, while Daizen Maeda will be deployed as a left-winger.

This will be a tough one, but Celtic will win by two clear goals.

Ryan’s team: Schmeichel, Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Valle; McGregor, Bernardo, Hatate; Kuhn, Idah, Maeda

Tony Haggerty

After the incredible highs of the Champions League victory over RB Leipzig on Tuesday night, Celtic returned to the day job.

A short trip along the M77 to Rugby Park to take on McInnes'  Kilmarnock awaits Rodgers' men. It's the scene where Celtic emphatically wrapped up last season's title with a resounding 5-0 success.  The Irishman would settle for a repeat of that scoreline, for sure.

With the last international break of the year looming after this fixture, Rodgers will want to close out the sequence with another league win. However, there will be some rotation for the green and white hordes for this one. Schmeichel came up with two massive saves at Parkhead against the Germans will be in between the posts. He will be joined by Spaniard, Valle who will replace Taylor at left-back. Johnston who is on the verge of signing a new bumper deal will be deployed at right-back. Trusty will retain his place at centre-back but he will be joined by Irish international Scales as USA compatriot Carter-Vickers will not be risked on the notorious Rugby Park plastic surface.

In midfield, midweek heroes Hatate and Engels with both being rotated for the freshness of McCowan and Bernardo.  The exertions during the RB Leipzig match will have taken their toll on the Japanese and Belgian duo and it is prudent and wise management to give them a rest. Portuguese under-21 skipper Bernardo also looked excellent when he came on at Parkhead and he'll get the nod to start alongside inspirational captain McGregor with the exuberance of McCowan being let loose again on the domestic front.

In attack, this looks like the ideal fixture to give man-of-the-moment Kuhn an extended break and his place in the side will be taken by Yang who impressed greatly in his midweek cameo. The Korean will be deployed on the right flank. Maeda will take up his usual left-wing berth. Republic of Ireland striker Idah will come in for Japanese talisman Kyogo as Rodgers will be mindful of how the centre-forward destroyed the Killie backline in May when he was unplayable that night. This is a horses-for-courses kind of game and Idah is the right horse for this course.

Celtic to win by three clear goals at least and go into the last international break of the year still sitting pretty at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.

Tony's team: Schmeichel, Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Valle; McGregor, McCowan, Bernardo, Yang, Idah, Maeda.