Recent trips to the east end of Glasgow ended with humiliating losses, 7-0 in May and 5-0 in August. There will be few takers for the 22/1 odds available on the away win at some of the bookmakers.
Of course it is possible that Mark McGhee could return from his spell with the Scotland squad brimming with confidence and a play book of cunning plans designed to fashion a famous victory but the reality is that anything other than a heavy defeat will be interpreted as an improvement.
Parkhead less than half full on our last visit
Those looking for hopeful signs will point to our 2-1 win at Parkhead last December and even to the 1-1 draw the previous season and suggest that a loss is not inevitable but the current form book points in the other direction. Celtic have yet to drop a home point this campaign scoring 15 for the loss of 3.
There was no international action for any of the Motherwell squad and the manager will have the option of fielding the same eleven for the fourth consecutive game.
A few of the opposition were involved in the midweek games and there is some concern that Lustig suffered a knee knock while playing for Sweden. Brendan Rodgers will be able to take his pick from a group that is the envy of the rest of the league. Pick a couple of strikers from Sinclair, Dembele and Griffith; add a few midfielders around Brown and keep Gordon in goal and that should do it.
The players who suffered the heavy League Cup defeat in August will be desperate to show an improvement and they will be joined by Moult and Bowman to increase the chance of scoring but the odds remain strongly in favour of a home win – 3-0.