Neil Lennon suggests Celtic's selection for Dundee United could hint at Ibrox plan

Celtic’s invidious position in the title race means Neil Lennon cannot consider tweaking his team for the visit of Dundee United with one eye on the showdown away to Rangers on Saturday.
Celtic's Leigh Griffiths celebrates with Odsonne Edouard and David Turnbull after scoring in the 3-0 weekend win at Hamlton, with Neil Lennon believing the two strikers can bring out the best in each other. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)Celtic's Leigh Griffiths celebrates with Odsonne Edouard and David Turnbull after scoring in the 3-0 weekend win at Hamlton, with Neil Lennon believing the two strikers can bring out the best in each other. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)
Celtic's Leigh Griffiths celebrates with Odsonne Edouard and David Turnbull after scoring in the 3-0 weekend win at Hamlton, with Neil Lennon believing the two strikers can bring out the best in each other. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

The Parkhead side seem once more to be finding their rhythm with five straight successes. In remaining 16 points adrift of Steven Gerrard’s men, though, the Celtic manager knows any failures in their two games this week could prove fatal for 10-in-a-row hopes.

“Even going through the controversial time I was enjoying it because it was a test,” the Irishman said. “I’m not saying I’ve come through it with flying colours, or anything like that. But we’ve sort-of turned a little bit of a corner. Now that can change again in one 90 minutes. We know we have a mountain of work still to do. But anyone writing us off would be foolish.”

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Anyone seeking to divine his derby plans from his team selection against the Tannadice side might not be foolish, though. That could mean strike duo Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths being unleashed in Govan, and Ismaila Soro retaining his place … which may, or may not, be at the expense of captain Scott Brown.

“You don’t want to change too much with the way the team is playing at the minute,” Lennon said. “We may make a change or two for the United match but there won’t be wholesale changes. The team is functioning well but we’re taking it one game at a time. We can’t look towards Ibrox because we have to negotiate this game first and give it our full focus and attention.”

And full frontline threat, with Griffiths driving up the effectiveness of Edouard across their two starts together in the past week. “Odsonne was outstanding [in the 3-0 win at Hamilton], it’s the best I’ve seen him for quite a while. He does have a good relationship with Griff. Even the first couple of minutes, the little step-over and then the run in behind. Griff almost scored. We’ve missed that sort of combination play with strikers. So, that set the pulse for a really good performance. Griff’s a very good footballer, very intelligent striker and he was really on song again at the weekend. So, you’re just hoping they bring the best out of each other.”

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