Celtic Premiership Clash
Celtic Visit St Johnstone Seeking to Extend Perfect Start in Scottish Premiership Match
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Key Points
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Celtic’s form has been affected by their Champions League play-off defeat away to Austrian side LASK, which the report described as a “nightmare result” after which the team had not looked as free-flowing.
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The match follows controversy in Celtic’s previous fixture, when goals by Camilo Duran and Shim Mheuka were disallowed amid apparent communication problems between the referee and VAR.
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In addition to the listed officials, Duncan Williams will assist VAR and Dan McFarlane will serve as the fourth official.
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Celtic’s injury and squad concerns also include Chelsea loanee Landon Emenalo, who had still not arrived at the club.
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CelticPlayer subscribers overseas can watch the match live, while subscribers in the UK and Ireland receive live audio commentary; all subscribers can access a full replay later the same day.
Celtic visit St Johnstone on Wednesday, September 9, aiming to extend their perfect start to the 2026-27 Scottish Premiership. The Glasgow side have won all five league matches so far, but face a grueling schedule ahead with two Rangers derbies and a Europa League opener against Ferencvaros Belfast Telegraph.
St Johnstone come into the match seeking a third straight victory at McDiarmid Park after beating Hibernian 2-1, though they sit seventh in the table and have yet to keep a league clean sheet Daily Mail. Celtic's squad depth faces a test, with Yang Hyun-jun away at the Asian Games and questions surrounding the fitness of Jota, Kieran Tierney and Kasper Høgh.
Celtic's Unbeaten Start Faces Perth Test
Celtic have not dropped a point in five league games, but their form dipped in their last match against St Mirren. The team was below their best and required all their experience to secure the win Daily Mail. That inconsistency means St Johnstone, despite sitting seventh, pose a genuine threat at McDiarmid Park.
St Johnstone Chasing Momentum Despite Firepower Gaps
The hosts arrive with genuine attacking ambition. Josh Fowler and Taylor Steven represent potent threats in the Perth attack, while the club could hand a debut to on-loan midfielder Josh Campbell Belfast Telegraph. Jamie Gullan's absence leaves a gap, but St Johnstone have shown they can trouble big sides in patches.
Celtic's Injury Crisis Threatens Squad Rotation
Celtic face significant availability problems heading into a congested fixture list. Yang Hyun-jun remains at the Asian Games, Callum Osmand is injured, and Jota continues his return from knee surgery Belfast Telegraph. Kieran Tierney and Kasper Høgh require assessment before the match, limiting the manager's ability to rotate during a demanding three-game week.
Officiating Under Scrutiny After Previous Controversy
Matthew MacDermid will referee with Chris Gentles and David Dunne as assistants. The Scottish FA has publicly named the full officiating team, including Grant Irvine leading VAR, Duncan Williams assisting VAR, and Dan McFarlane as fourth official Belfast Telegraph. The detailed announcement follows controversy in a recent match where goals were disallowed amid communication problems between the referee and VAR team.
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