STATISTICAL PREVIEW: CELTIC V FALKIRK

Falkirk travel to Celtic Park for the first knockout round of this season’s League Cup.

While the sides will meet at least three more times in the league this season, they have faced each other only twice in the past decade. One of those was last season’s League Cup quarter-final, which Celtic won 5-2.

Celtic’s Form Guide

Using the Celtic vs Falkirk Match Stats on Andy’s Bet Club, we can see that Celtic have had an unusual run of fixtures in their last five competitive games, having played only Aberdeen and St. Mirren.

They are unbeaten in 90 minutes since losing to St. Johnstone at the start of April.

● 0–2 Win vs Aberdeen (A) – Premiership

● 1–0 Win vs St. Mirren (H) – Premiership

● 1–1 (4-3) Loss on Penalties vs Aberdeen (N) – Scottish Cup Final

● 1–1 Draw vs St. Mirren (H) – Premiership

● 1–5 Win vs Aberdeen (A) – Premiership

Celtic’s Matches This Season:

Celtic’s most recent match was a 2-0 victory over last season’s fifth-placed Aberdeen.

They controlled possession with 69.8% of the ball and used this dominance to create several high-quality chances, recording 11 shots, only three of which came from outside the box.

A key factor in creating these opportunities was their accuracy with passes into the final third, completing 86% of their 63 attempts, compared to Aberdeen’s 40% from 35, which contributed to 19 touches in the opposition box versus Aberdeen’s nine.

In their first game of the season, Celtic faced St. Mirren and again held the upper hand in most statistics.

Interestingly, despite recording more shots on target and a slightly shorter average shooting distance, they underperformed their xG of 2.05.

They were dominant in the air, winning 63% of aerial duels compared to St. Mirren’s 26%, and pressed effectively by making 18 recoveries in the opposition’s defensive third, allowing them to regain possession high up the pitch and start attacks before the defence has recovered back into its shape.

Celtic’s One to Watch:

Benjamin Nygren: The Swedish attacking midfielder joined Celtic in the summer from the Danish top-flight.

He played a key role against Aberdeen, assisting one goal and scoring the other. He drew four fouls in the match, highlighting his ability to put opponents under pressure. Nygren was also active defensively, making eight ball recoveries and contesting 19 duels.

Final Thoughts:

This round of 16 tie is likely to have Celtic dominating the ball with their high-possession style of football.

Falkirk will likely attempt to stop the number of passes Celtic are able to play into their attacking third by cutting passing lanes. In their league matches this season, Falkirk have been effective in this area, with an average of 42 interceptions and 42 ball recoveries in the middle third, disrupting play before it reaches their defensive line.

The main challenge for The Bairns will be breaking down a Celtic defence that has yet to concede this season, allowing only 0.7 xG across the two matches. One way Falkirk can hope to overcome this statistic is by maintaining their low average shooting distance, which currently sits at 14.8m, which is a significant difference for Celtic to face as their opponents have focused on longer range efforts with an average distance of 20.7m.

This statistical preview was written by a data analyst at Andy’s Bet Club – a sports betting content platform offering betting tips, real-time data and bookmaker reviews. You must be 18+ to use the website, and please remember to always gamble responsibly.