When Celtic F.C. meets St. Mirren in the Scottish Premiership, it always piques the interest of football fans. While Celtic has enjoyed a dominant history in these matchups, St. Mirren has had its moments of success, providing plenty of memorable encounters. In this article, we delve into the latest statistics, head-to-head comparisons, and factors influencing the outcome of their fixtures in recent seasons.
Head-to-Head: Celtic vs St. Mirren
Historical Context
Celtic F.C., one of the giants of Scottish football, is renowned for its long history of domestic and international success. Their rivalry with St. Mirren, while not among the most heated in Scottish football, has still offered up plenty of intriguing matches. Celtic has generally had the upper hand, though St. Mirren has pulled off some surprise results over the years.
Recent Head-to-Head Record (as of November 2024):
Total Matches Played: 137
Celtic Wins: 87
St. Mirren Wins: 15
Draws: 35
Despite Celtic’s commanding record, St. Mirren has occasionally stunned the football world, most famously with a 4-0 victory over Celtic in the 2011 League Cup—a result still talked about by both sets of fans.
Recent Matches
In the most recent seasons, Celtic has continued to outclass St. Mirren, although the matches haven’t always been as straightforward as the final scores suggest. The 2023/24 season was typical, with Celtic securing comfortable wins but being challenged in various ways. Here’s a quick look at some of their latest encounters:
2024 Scottish Premiership Results:
Celtic 3-0 St. Mirren (September 2024)
St. Mirren 1-2 Celtic (April 2024)
Celtic 2-1 St. Mirren (December 2023)
While Celtic usually prevails by comfortable margins, St. Mirren has displayed resilience, particularly in their home fixtures. Despite the odds, they continue to offer challenges, with their defense often putting up a strong fight.
Key Trends from Recent Encounters
Possession Dominance: Celtic tends to control the majority of possession in these fixtures, regularly exceeding 60% of the ball. St. Mirren usually plays a more defensive role, looking to hit on the break.
Goal Scoring: Celtic’s attack is a force to be reckoned with, often scoring multiple goals in these games. On average, matches between the two teams see around 3-4 goals, with Celtic frequently netting 2 or 3.
Defensive Strength: While Celtic has a potent offense, St. Mirren has proven to be tougher to break down on home turf, often frustrating Celtic for stretches of the game.
Key Players to Watch
Celtic F.C.
Celtic’s squad boasts some of the best talents in Scottish football, and their attack is typically the team’s standout feature. Some of the key players for Celtic in recent years include:
Kyogo Furuhashi: The Japanese forward has been a revelation since joining Celtic, impressing with his speed, finishing, and intelligent movement. Kyogo is one of the key figures in Celtic’s attacking line, often scoring crucial goals.
Reo Hatate: Another Japanese import, Hatate’s dynamic play in midfield adds creativity and energy. His range of passing, vision, and knack for scoring from a distance make him a vital part of Celtic’s midfield.
Cameron Carter-Vickers: The American defender has been a rock at the back for Celtic, providing leadership and aerial dominance. His consistent performances ensure Celtic’s defensive stability.
St. Mirren
St. Mirren’s squad may not have the same level of star power as Celtic, but they have a few players who can make a difference. Key figures include:
Mark O’Hara: The versatile midfielder plays a key role in St. Mirren’s defensive setup and transition play. O’Hara’s ability to break up opposition attacks and distribute the ball effectively is central to their strategy against bigger teams.
Alex Grieve: The New Zealand international forward is capable of causing problems for opposition defenses. Greive’s hold-up play and ability to create chances make him a valuable player in St. Mirren’s attacking setup.
Trevor Carson: The goalkeeper has been in excellent form for St. Mirren, often making crucial saves that keep his team in matches. Carson is a key figure in their defense, particularly in high-pressure games against teams like Celtic.
Tactical Insights: How Both Teams Approach the Game
Celtic’s Approach
Celtic, under Brendan Rodgers (as of the 2023/24 season), is known for playing a possession-based, attacking style of football. They typically look to dominate matches by controlling the ball and applying pressure high up the pitch to win it back quickly. Against teams like St. Mirren, Celtic focuses on breaking down defensive structures with fast, fluid passing and width in attack.
High Pressing: Celtic’s high-pressing game is designed to disrupt St. Mirren’s build-up play and force errors in dangerous areas.
Wide Play: With wingers like Liel Abada and Jota, Celtic stretches the opposition and looks to create overloads in wide areas, generating crossing opportunities into the box.
St. Mirren’s Approach
St. Mirren, managed by Stephen Robinson, typically adopts a more conservative and pragmatic style when facing stronger opponents like Celtic. Their game plan revolves around solid defense and opportunistic counter-attacks.
Defensive Structure: St. Mirren generally sets up in a compact defensive formation, often opting for a 4-4-2 or 5-3-2 system. This allows them to absorb pressure and keep Celtic’s attackers at bay.
Counter-Attack: When St. Mirren wins the ball back, they look to transition quickly, utilizing the pace of their forwards and midfielders to exploit spaces left by Celtic’s high defensive line.
Statistical Breakdown: Goals, Assists, and Other Key Metrics
Here’s a snapshot of some of the key statistics from recent meetings between Celtic vs St. Mirren:
Celtic’s Goals: In the 2023/24 season, Celtic scored an average of 2.5 goals per match against St. Mirren.
St. Mirren’s Goals: On the other hand, St. Mirren averaged just 0.5 goals per game in their recent encounters with Celtic.
Clean Sheets: Celtic has kept a clean sheet in around 60% of their most recent matches against St. Mirren, underlining their defensive superiority.
Possession: Celtic typically dominates possession, averaging over 65% of the ball in matches against St. Mirren, reflecting their emphasis on ball control.
Expected Goals (xG)
Celtic’s xG: Celtic’s expected goals (xG) in these fixtures are typically between 2.2 and 2.5 per match, indicating their offensive dominance.
St. Mirren’s xG: St. Mirren’s xG is much lower, typically ranging between 0.5 and 1, which highlights the challenges they face in creating scoring opportunities against top-tier teams like Celtic.
Looking Ahead: Future Fixtures
As Celtic looks to continue its dominance in the Scottish Premiership, their encounters with St. Mirren will remain important for both teams. Celtic will aim to defend their title, while St. Mirren will look to maintain their mid-table position and possibly pull off an upset. The upcoming fixtures in the 2024/25 season will be crucial in shaping both teams’ campaigns.
A Closing Perspective: What to Expect from Celtic vs St. Mirren
Celtic remains the clear favorite in any matchup with St. Mirren, given their superior squad depth, attacking quality, and tactical discipline. However, St. Mirren’s resilience and defensive discipline always make these fixtures intriguing. While Celtic will look to extend their dominance, St. Mirren will hope to capitalize on any lapses in concentration and steal a result.
FAQs:-
What is the all-time head-to-head record between Celtic F.C. and St. Mirren?
Celtic F.C. has dominated the head-to-head stats against St. Mirren, with a significantly higher win rate. As of the most recent update in the 2023/2024 season, Celtic has won the vast majority of their meetings, with St. Mirren claiming a few notable victories, especially in recent years.
Total Matches: 162
Celtic Wins: 106
St. Mirren Wins: 28
Draws: 28
While Celtic has been the stronger side historically, St. Mirren’s recent form against Celtic has seen them challenge the bigger side in more competitive matches.
What are the latest Celtic vs St. Mirren match results?
In the most recent encounter on October 2024, Celtic secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over St. Mirren at Celtic Park in the Scottish Premiership.
October 2024: Celtic 3–0 St. Mirren
August 2024: St. Mirren 1–1 Celtic
The October win added to Celtic’s strong home record against St. Mirren, while the draw in August was seen as a surprising result given Celtic’s dominance.
What are Celtic’s biggest wins over St. Mirren?
Celtic’s most significant victories against St. Mirren have been resounding, including some crushing scorelines:
Celtic 7–0 St. Mirren (January 2010) – One of the most memorable heavy defeats for St. Mirren.
Celtic 6–0 St. Mirren (April 2017) – Another comprehensive win in the Premiership.
Celtic 5–0 St. Mirren (December 2021) – Another dominant performance in recent years.
These scorelines highlight the gap in overall strength between the two teams, especially when Celtic is in top form.
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