On Saturday, Celtic travel to Wythenshawe to take on Wythenshawe FC. Wythenshawe are sixth in the table on twenty-two points, one place and one point behind Celtic having played the same number of games. Kick-off is 3pm.

After a rocky start to life in the NPL, winning two of their opening eight games and losing four, Wythenshawe have found their feet, losing two of their last eight games, unbeaten in their last five, and have won their last three. Only one team has beaten them at home this season, City of Liverpool in Wythenshawe’s second home match of the season, since then, they have had five unbeaten at home, winning their most recent two to beat Bootle (3-1) and Stafford (2-1).

In Abdullahi Ahmed they have the joint second top goal-scorer so far this season on seven goals. Just one behind Congleton Town’s Max McCarthy. On average they score 1.6 goals per game at home and 1.5 overall, failing to score just once at home in their opening game, drawing with Runcorn Linnets. They concede an average of 1.3 goals per game at home and 1.6 overall, keeping one of their two clean sheets at home, also in the goalless draw with Runcorn. Apart from Liverpool, who scored four, generally they have only conceded one goal at home.

We have only played Wythenshawe once, earlier this season, when they won 3-2, alate David Adams goal snatching a point after Celtic had come back from two down to be level at the interval.

In Wythenshawe’s last match, the 3-1 home win over Bootle, Wythenshawe lined up as:
1. Kyle Haslam
2. Alistair Brown
3. Adam Owen
4. Fraser Goodwin
5. Luke Worth
6. Ryan Shenton
7. Michal Monaghan
8. Cameron Annis-Wade
9. Darrhyl Mason
10. Michael Phenix
11. Abdullahi Ahmed

In Celtic’s last match, the 1-0 home win over Clitheroe, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Luke Partington
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Jordan Butterworth
5. Sean Tse
6. Aaron Chalmers
7. Milan Lalkovic
8. Liam Tongue
9. Joe Duckworth
10. Jack Irlam
11. Kamoy McNair

Although Celtic have only won two away games all season, we do have the fourth best away attack, scoring twelve, which could help, though we have lost talismanic Ash Leather, and will also be without Aaron Chalmers and Sean Tse. This will also be Jon Maken’s first game in charge, which could have an effect.