Ange Hoops to shuffle the pack

ANGE POSTECOGLOU is planning a CELTIC squad shake-up for today’s Scottish Premiership clash with ABERDEEN.

The Hoops’ hopes of a push for the knockout rounds of the Europa League were ended in a defeat to Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday.

Celtic have two games per week as they build towards the Premier Sports Cup final showpiece on December 19 and boss Postecoglou

(right) said: “It’s an important game back at home.

“We want to keep momentum going in the league, and obviously after a big European night you just want to make sure the players are recovered well, and we may have to make some changes just to make sure the team is up and ready for it.”

It will be the first game at Celtic Park since the passing of Lisbon Lion Bertie Auld, and Postecoglou encouraged the players to put in a performance to honour the Parkhead icon.

The Aussie added: “We want to represent him in the best possible manner – to go out there and put on a performance that he would smile about.”

Leaders RANGERS face LIVINGSTON as new boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst begins life in the Ibrox dugout in the league.

Van Bronckhorst said: “My task is to make sure we keep that drive, that hunger, that passion to be successful.”

HEARTS cut Rangers’ advantage to three points after a 2-0 win over 10-man ST MIRREN yesterday. Gary Mackay-Steven and Stephen Kingsley struck in the second half with Joe Shaughnessy seeing red for the visitors late on.

DUNDEE UNITED were frustrated after Jack Baldwin rescued a last-gasp point for bottom side ROSS COUNTY in a 1-1 draw. Louis Appere had opened the scoring before Baldwin’s 94th minute intervention.

AFTER Thursday night’s defeat in Slovenia, Antonio Conte said: “I must be honest and tell you that after three–and–a–half weeks, I am starting to understand the situation.

“It’s not simple because the level of Tottenham is not too high.”

Had Conte (above) done any kind of due diligence, he would have understood – before the past three weeks – Tottenham’s situation.

The level of Tottenham is, indeed, not too high.

But it is high enough to beat NS Mura – so there really were no excuses for that Europa Conference League defeat.

That embarrassment was as much on Conte as it was on the players.