On Saturday Celtic travel to Liverpool to face Bootle. Bootle are currently seventh in the league, on seventeen points, four places and three points behind Celtic having played the same number of games. Kick-off is 3pm.

Bootle have topped the table three times this season, but are currently on a run of five games without a win, including four consecutive losses, though their most recent match saw them draw 1-1 away at Newcastle Town. Defeat in their last two home matches to Congleton (0-2) and Stafford (1-2) has seen them drop to their current position in the league. Their last home win was at the end of August when they beat Avro 2-1, whilst their last win was away at Witton, who they beat 2-1. The win at Witton being their only win in their last eight matches.

After previously holding one of the best defensive records in the league, recent losses have seen them drop to having the joint worst defence in the league, conceding twenty-four, tied with Wythenshawe. At home they fare slightly better with the third worst home defence, behind Runcorn and Stafford. On average. They have scored the fourth highest amount of goals, though, with twenty. On average, Bootle score 1.7 goals per game at home and 1.6 overall, whilst conceding 1.8 goals per game. They have failed to score only twice all season, once at home against Congleton in their last home match, whilst they have kept four clean sheets in total, with two at home, with both clean sheets at home coming in the first two home games this season. Their top scorers, on four apiece, are Connor Harwood and Ben Richardson, between them netting nearly half of all Bootle’s goals.

We’ve already met Bootle once this season, winning 2-1 at Bower Fold with goals from Matty Bryan and Sean Tse twice putting Celtic ahead. Indeed, Bootle must hate playing Celtic, having never beaten us. Last season we drew 1-1 at home, but won 4-0 away, whilst further back, we have put them out of the FA Trophy winning on penalties after Matty Jones’s stoppage time equaliser gave Celtic a last ditch lifeline. Back in the 1990s we also put them out of the FA Cup, after they held us to a 2-2 draw at Bower Fold, in the replay, we won 3-1.

In Bootle’s last match, the 1-1 away draw at Newcastle, Bootle lined up as:
1. Tony Thompson
2. Jay Roberts
3. Sean Smith
4. James Cooper
5. Thomas Hannigan
6. Anthony Miley
7. Sam Hughes
8. Sean Williams
9. Connor Harwood
10. Andy Scarisbrick
11. Ben Hodkinson

In Celtic’s last match, the 1-0 home win over Avro, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Jordan Burton
3. Javid Swaby-Neavin
4. Jordan Butterworth
5. Jack Tinning
6. Max Leonard
7. Milan Lalkovic
8. Liam Tongue
9. Joe Duckworth
10. Jack Irlam
11. Matty Bryan

With Celtic still managerless, Bootle must fancy their chances of ending their run without a win over Celtic, but as Celtic have already proven against Avro, we are still a decent team.