Martin O'Neill has unveiled his Celtic lineup for this afternoon's Scottish Cup semi-final clash with St Mirren at Hampden Park, and there are some key talking points for the Hoops faithful. The manager himself highlighted the stakes, stating in his pre-match conference, "If we can win the game, it would definitely have a positive effect going into the rest of the season."

Between the sticks, Viljami Sinisalo starts as expected. He'll be protected by a back four featuring Scotland's World Cup-bound full-backs, Anthony Ralston and Kieran Tierney. The central defensive partnership sees Auston Trusty and Benjamin Arthur step in, with Trusty on the left and Arthur on the right, covering for the absent Liam Scales.

The midfield brings welcome news with the return of Arne Engels. He makes his first start since suffering a thigh injury two months ago against Livingston and will partner the fit-again captain, Callum McGregor. This experienced duo will be crucial in controlling the tempo at the national stadium.

Up front, the attacking setup has an intriguing look. Celtic's top scorer, Benjamin Nygren, will operate in an advanced midfield role, tasked with linking play. The front three sees Yang Hyun-jun on the right, the dynamic Daizen Maeda deployed through the middle as the central striker, and Sebastian Tounekti providing width on the left flank.

O'Neill has significant options on the bench if needed, including the likes of Reo Hatate, James Forrest, and the experienced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, offering plenty of firepower for this high-stakes cup tie.