CELTIC will know their Scottish Cup fifth round opponents tonight – if, of course, they take care of business at League One Alloa earlier in the evening.
The draw for the next stage of the national competition will be made immediately after the action at the Indodrill Stadium where kick-off is due at 5.30pm.
Ange Postecoglou will make his debut in the tournament and it could be an identical situation for many of his recruits such as Joe Hart, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Carl Starfelt, Josip Juranovic, Liel Abada, Giorgos Giakoumakis, Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi.
UP IN THE AIR…Filipe Jota may not be risked at Alloa.
The plastic pitch could lead to the likes of Tom Rogic and Filipe Jota, who made a return as a late substitute in the 2-0 win over Hibs on Monday night after missing seven games with a hamstring problem, sitting this one out.
Shaun Maloney’s Edinburgh side became the first club through to the next stage when a goal from Kevin Nisbet proved to be the only goal of a tense extra-time encounter with League One leaders Cove Rangers at Easter Road on Thursday night.
They have been joined by Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Ibrox side who eased to a 4-0 home win over fourth-tier part-timers Stirling Albion where James Tavernier scored and missed a first-half penalty-kick. Teenage debutant Alex Lowry got the opener before the Govan captain drilled in a spot-kick. Moments later, referee Bobby Madden awarded another penalty, but this time keeper Blair Currie saved. Cedric Itten and Fashion Sakala claimed the second-half strikes.
As well as Alloa v Celtic, other ties to be decided:
Livingston v Ross County
Aberdeen v Edinburgh City
Arbroath v Darvel
Auchinleck Talbot v Hearts
Ayr United v St Mirren
Banks O’Dee v Raith Rovers
Clydebank v Annan Athletic
Dumbarton v Dundee
Kelty Hearts v St Johnstone
Kilmarnock v Dundee United
Motherwell v Morton
Partick Thistle v Airdrie
Peterhead v East Kilbride
Fifth round ties are due on the weekend of February 12/13.
