On Tuesday night, Celtic travel to Trafford for our league match. Trafford are currently bottom, after four games, with no points. Kick off 7:45pm.
Like Celtic, Trafford have been in the FA Cup and FA Trophy, falling behind in games, with the teams above them one or two games ahead. Celtic put them out of the FA Trophy and Nantwich beat them 3-1 in Nantwich to put them out of the FA Cup in Nantwich. In the league, they’ve played four and lost four, losing at home to Darlaston and Wythenshawe, both games finishing 2-1. Both their away games finished 2-1, too.
Last season, Trafford finished ninth, thanks to Rio Clegg’s twenty-goal season. This season, Trafford have scored in every league game and most cup games, though they didn’t manage to score in their trophy match against Celtic. Three different players have scored their league goals. Matthew Davies has two, and Jerome Wright and Henry Brown with the other two. Four 2-1 results means they have scored one goal per game both home and away, and concede two goals per game both home and away.
Our last meeting was just over a week ago in the FA Trophy, which Celtic won 2-0, with goals from Jack Irlam and Elliot Rokka, whilst our last visit to Trafford was back in January when we won 2-1, with Joe Duckworth and Jack Tinning coming back from a goal down at the start of the second half. Our only other league visit came in January 2024, when we drew 1-1. In the last eight meetings, Celtic have won five, Trafford two and there’s been one draw.
In Trafford’s last match, their 3-1 FA Cup defeat at Nantwich, Trafford lined up as:
1. Sam Booth
2. Sean Higgins
3. Jack Higginbottom
4. Theo Farquarson
5. Harry Norris
6. Cian Donohue
7. Josh Wood
8. Mackena Bradshaw
9. Matthew Davies
10. Jerome Wright
11. Campbell Reid
In Celtic’s last match, the narrow 2-1 defeat at home to Chester, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Mike Koral
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Jordan Butterworth
5. Jack Byrne
6. Jack Tinning
7. Brandon Newell
8. Liam Tongue
9. Ruben Jerome
10. Benni Smales-Braithwaite
11. Jack Irlam
The phrase “concentrate on the league” applies to both clubs in this game. Only time will tell which of the two teams coped better with their weekend FA Cup losses.
