Preview: Celtic vs Dundee - prediction, team news, lineups

Celtic welcome Dundee FC to Celtic Park on Monday evening for the opening weekend of the 2026-27 Scottish Premiership campaign.

The Hoops played out a 2-2 draw with AC Milan in their last summer friendly, while the Dee beat Clyde FC 4-0 in their final Scottish League Cup group fixture.

Match preview

Following their dramatic title triumph last season, Celtic will be hoping to retain the Scottish Premiership crown for the fifth consecutive year in 2026-27 and kick off their defence with victory at home on Monday evening.

With just a trio of fixtures remaining in last season’s Championship Group, the Hoops found themselves three points behind league leaders Hearts, who had topped the table for much of the campaign and looked likely to end their 66-year wait for Premiership success.

However, following a Jam Tarts draw against Motherwell, Martin O’Neill’s men claimed back-to-back victories before coming from behind on an emphatic final day to beat their title rivals and clinch their 14th crown of the previous 15 seasons.

Due to their automatic Scottish League Cup knockout stage qualification, Celtic have been void of competitive summer action, though they have had several friendly fixtures, drawing with Shelbourne, Middlesbrough and AC Milan as well as falling to a 4-1 loss against Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon.

Despite their rocky preparation, O’Neill’s side will still be confident of getting their league campaign off to the perfect start, having beaten Monday’s opponents in each of the previous nine meetings between the teams at Celtic Park.

After narrowly avoiding the drop in the 2024-25 season, finishing four points above Ross County in the relegation playoff spot, Dundee were much improved last campaign and secured their Scottish Premiership status for a fourth consecutive year.

Despite once again competing in the division’s relegation group, Steven Pressley’s side experienced a strong finish to their season, winning three of the last four games to finish on 42 points, eight clear of danger.

Having secured their place in the Scottish League Cup knockout stages over the previous month, claiming victory in three matches to progress as the highest ranked second-place side, the Dark Blues will be wanting a seamless start to their league campaign too and looking to replicate their 2023-24 Championship Group participation once more.

While they have largely struggled when travelling to Celtic Park, Dundee do have recent experience of beating the Scottish champions, posting a 2-0 victory in October 2025 courtesy of a Clark Robertson strike and Cameron Carter-Vickers own goal.

Celtic pre-season friendly form:

Dundee Scottish League Cup form:

Dundee pre-season friendly form:

Team News

After signing for a club-record £11 million fee on Tuesday, all eyes will be on whether Danish international Kasper Hogh can make his debut for the hosts on Monday.

However, with Colombian striker Camilo Duran scoring in Celtic's previous three friendly fixtures, we believe that Hogh will have to make do with a bench appearance against Dundee.

Having missed the entirety of last season with a cruciate injury, it is not expected that Jota will make a return until October, while Johnny Kenny continues to suffer from a lateral collateral ligament issue.

Following some impressive results in pre-season, it is likely that Pressley makes few changes to his starting lineup for their visit to the champions, with Kieran O'Hara between the sticks, Ethan Hamilton pulling the strings and Simon Murray captaining the side from centre forward.

Since signing for the club this summer, Idris Odutayo, Ryan Finnigan and Alan Forrest have made good impressions and are all in with a shout of starring on Monday evening.

Celtic possible starting lineup:

Sinisalo; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Hatate, Engels; Forrest, Duran, Tounekti

Dundee possible starting lineup:

O'Hara; Wright, Astley, Donnelly, Halliday; Bevan, Finnigan, Reilly, Hamilton, Jones; Murray

We say: Celtic 2-0 Dundee

Although Dundee have perhaps had the better preparation for the upcoming league campaign, having already played four competitive fixtures this season, it is difficult to see them overcoming a strong Celtic side on the opening weekend.

With noisy neighbours Rangers already dropping points in their first fixture, O'Neill's men will be looking to capitalise and begin this campaign in the same way that they finished the last.

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