Martin O'Neill has named both Arne Engels and Alistair Johnston in his Celtic starting XI to face Kilmarnock this afternoon.
The Hoops are at Rugby Park for matchday two of the new Premiership campaign. And the manager has gone with as strong a squad as possible to face Neil McCann's troops.
Both Engels and Johnston have had transfer interest in recent weeks with bids arriving for the pair from West Ham and Everton respectively.
📋 Your Celtic team to face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.#KILCEL | #CelticFC🍀 pic.twitter.com/V6tAyfc6Pp
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) August 9, 2026
The start of a new era in Ayrshire 🌱 pic.twitter.com/m2hahqlggx
— Kilmarnock FC (@KilmarnockFC) August 9, 2026
But that has not prevented O'Neill from selecting the duo as he hopes to put another three points on the board to add to last weekend's 1-0 win over Dundee.
New signings Kasper Hogh and Camilo Duran both also play from the start with no changes made from last weekend.
Celtic starting XI: Sinisalo, Tierney, Trusty, Carter-Vickers, Johnston, McGregor (C), Engels, Nygren, Duran, Yang, Hogh.
Substitutes: Doohan, McCowan, Tounekti, Osmand, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hatate, Murray, Forrest, Donovan.
