Celtic vs Falkirk

Celtic Park prepares for a pivotal Scottish Premiership clash today, Sunday, February 1, 2026, as Martin O'Neill's Celtic host a fearless Falkirk side. Kick-off is scheduled for 15:00 GMT.

The stakes couldn't be higher for the "Bhoys." Following Hearts' 3–0 victory over Dundee United last night, Celtic finds themselves trailing the league leaders by nine points. While Celtic holds a game in hand, the margin for error has vanished. For Falkirk (6th, 33 points), today is a chance to prove that their recent "giant-killing" form is no fluke.

Match Information

Celtic: Shaking Off the Domestic Rust

While Celtic’s league form has been patchy—highlighted by a frustrating 2–2 draw at Tynecastle last week—their European exploits remain a beacon of hope. The Hoops arrive fresh from a 4–2 Champions League win over FC Utrecht on Thursday, a result that secured their spot in the play-off rounds against Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart.

Team News and Selection:

• Defensive Crisis: Martin O'Neill is missing a staggering amount of defensive quality. Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles) is out for the season, while Alistair Johnston (hamstring) is sidelined until March. Furthermore, Auston Trusty serves a suspension today following his red card against Hearts

• The Star Man: Midfielder Benjamin Nygren is in the form of his life, having notched his 14th goal of the season against Utrecht.

• New Blood: January loan signing Tomas Cvancara is expected to lead the line after an impressive debut cameo last weekend. 

• Predicted XI (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Araujo, Murray, Scales, Tierney; Engels, McGregor, Nygren; Hyun-Jun, Cvancara, Maeda. 

Falkirk: The Bairns are Booming

John McGlynn has guided Falkirk to a sensational return to the top flight. They currently occupy the final "top six" spot and arrive in Glasgow full of confidence after hammering Hibernian 4–1 last weekend. The Bairns have already shown they can hang with the champions, having narrowly lost 1–0 in the reverse fixture only two weeks ago.

Team News and Selection:

• The Hat-Trick Hero: Barney Stewart is the talk of the town after his three-goal masterclass against Hibs. He will be the primary threat to a makeshift Celtic backline

• Familiar Faces: Former Celtic goalkeeper Scott Bain starts between the sticks for the visitors, looking to prove a point at his old home

• Absentees: Ross MacIver, Gary Oliver, and Filip Lissah are all ruled out with injuries

• Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Bain; Adams, Allan, Henderson, McCann; Spencer, Tait; Wilson, Yeats, Miller; Stewart

? Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats

• Season Sweep: Celtic has won both previous meetings this season (4–0 and 1–0).

• The Gap: A win for Celtic closes the gap on Hearts to 6 points; a loss or draw could leave their title defense in tatters before the spring.

• Historical Edge: Celtic has won their last six meetings against Falkirk across all competitions.

• Home Fortress: Despite their struggles, Celtic has only lost twice at home in the league this season.

Tactical Analysis and Prediction

Celtic will look to use the width of Kieran Tierney and Daizen Maeda to stretch a Falkirk defense that likes to remain compact. The battle in the engine room between Callum McGregor and Falkirk’s Brad Spencer will likely dictate the tempo.

Falkirk’s best path to an upset lies in the air. With Celtic missing their two most dominant aerial defenders in Carter-Vickers and Trusty, the Bairns will look to test Liam Scales and Nathaniel Murray through set-pieces and crosses toward Stewart. However, the sheer individual quality of Nygren and the atmosphere of a desperate Parkhead should be enough to see Celtic through a nervy afternoon.

Final Score Prediction: Celtic 2–1 Falkirk