Celtic travel to Paisley to take on St Mirren in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup on Sunday afternoon.

After that last-gasp 2-1 victory over Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership, Brendan Rodgers' team will be looking to put their name into the hat by any means necessary, in what is sure to be a tough game at the home of the Buddies.

READ MORE: How Celtic beat Hibs, thanks to Idah, Ralston and Bernabei

Celtic overcame Buckie Thistle 5-0 in the previous round, whilst the hosts beat Marvin Bartley's Queen of the South 1-0 last month. The two sides met just over a month ago, where the 10 men of Stephe Robinson were soundly beaten 3-0 against a rampant Celtic side on the night. With both teams coming off the back of a win in the league, it is shaping up to be a tasty encounter in the cup on Sunday afternoon.

With all of that being said, who will start for Rodgers in this cup clash? The Celtic Way's Ryan McGinlay and Tony Haggerty each have their say...

Ryan McGinlay

It is time to use the good momentum gained from Easter Road, if it exists.

Despite a dismal showing in the capital win on Wednesday night, the league will have to be put on the backburner for now, as Celtic''s remaining trophy has to be defended. This is a tough match for the club, as St Mirren have been in tremendous form since the teams last met just over a month ago.

In spite of this, Celtic and Rodgers know what they must do, and that is win at all costs. Because of this, it will be a very strong team that is named for this crucial clash in Paisley. No time for sentimentality, Celtic's best defensive player at the moment in Joe Hart will remain between the sticks for this one. Just in front of him, the defensive partnership will be that of Liam Scales and Maik Nawrocki, the same pair that started at Pittodrie against Aberdeen. Stephen Welsh hobbling off at Easter Road was a blow, though Gustaf Lagerbielke can provide emergency cover if needed. Thanks to injury, both full-back starters Alistair Johnston and Greg Taylor will not be available for this one, so the back-ups Alexandro Bernabei and Anthony Ralston will both play in their place. 

READ MORE: Are Celtic playing slower this year under Brendan Rodgers?

The midfield is an interesting place, as I would liked to have Tomoki Iwata back in the team for this one. There has been no update, so the presumption is that he is not ready yet. Because of that, Odin Thiago Holm will return to the fold, allowing for captain Callum McGregor to push up the park. This means that Paulo Bernardo will drop out, and that Matt O'Riley will keep his place in the starting line-up.

In the forward areas, Adam Idah must lead the line after his midweek heroics. Hopefully, he can score his first goal from open play on Sunday, to go with his two penalties he managed against Hibs. Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn will support the imposing striker, with the latter being offered a second chance away from home after a lacklustre first start for the club.

A tough game, but Celtic will be the team in the hat at the end of it.

Ryan's team: Hart; Ralston, Nawrocki, Scales, Bernabei; Holm, McGregor; Kuhn, O'Riley, Maeda; Idah

Tony Haggerty

The champions played their get-out-of-jail-free card against Hibernian on Wednesday night. Two Idah penalties secured a vital 2-1 league win in the capital, but all thoughts now turn to the defence of the Scottish Cup.

Rodgers will be hoping that the manner of victory in Edinburgh can somehow galvanise his team and kickstart a run of successes as Celtic look to close out the campaign with a Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double. Celtic's form has been inconsistent at best, although they are returning to the scene of one of their best performances of the season so far. The Northern Irishman's side made light work of St Mirren in Paisley when they ran out convincing 3-0 winners on January 2. The SMiSA stadium awaits again as Robinson's team stands in the holders' way of a potential return to Hampden Park.

Robinson turned Motherwell into a good cup team in the past and the Steelmen reached the final of the League Cup and Scottish Cup back in the 2017/18 season but ran into Rodgers's Celtic juggernaut and lost on both occasions. St Mirren will be well-drilled, disciplined and focused on the task at hand and Celtic will have to raise the quality and standards dramatically after their last three display against Ross County, Aberdeen and Hibs have been unacceptable and nowhere near the levels required.

READ MORE: Celtic's Bernardo uses past Benfica experiences to succeed

The manager chose to mix it up against Hibs in midweek and he may well opt to do the same again in this cup clash. Hart remains the custodian between the sticks and he has earned his spurs of late and has proven to be Celtic's standout performer in the last two outings. Ralston will replace Johnston at right-back with Bernabei retaining his place. Scales and Nawrocki will form the central defensive pairing.

In the midfield, the normal triumvirate will be split as Holm will come in for Bernardo and the Norwegian will feature alongside O'Riley and McGregor in the engine room. Maeda will play out wide on the left in a four. It will be a day for Maeda's boundless energy and defensive prowess. He alongside many others will have to put in a shift.

This leaves the biggest conundrum at Celtic right now - what to do in the striking department? Celtic scored and earned the second penalty award on Wednesday night when Kyogo and Idah were both in the park together. They will stay in situ as Rodgers opts for Idah and Kyogo to play as a two. Kyogo may well play in a slightly withdrawn role but he will partner the on-loan Norwich City attacker in some shape or form.

Goals win matches and Celtic's last four goals have come via two deflections and two penalties. That doesn't make for good reading. Two up top might well be the tonic that Celtic needs and the spark that also alters the creativity factor and goals ratio. The mood music and atmosphere permeating the Celtic dressing room at this moment is not great. It's time for the champions and Scottish Cup holders to change the narrative by producing another top-drawer performance in Paisley. 

With the tie played to a finish, something has to give in this one.

Tony's team: Hart; Ralston, Nawrocki, Scales; Bernabei; Holm, O'Riley, McGregor, Maeda; Idah, Kyogo