There has been speculation leading up to this match about the future of Celtic forward Daizen Maeda, but manager Brendan Rodgers is "fairly confident" the Japan international will be a Celtic player come the end of the summer transfer window.

Large sections of the Parkhead side's support have become disgruntled at their club's transfer activity, with some fearing Maeda could leave.

The 27-year-old was Celtic's standout player last term, scoring 33 goals and providing 12 assists in 51 games.

When asked earlier this week if he is confident Maeda will remain at the club, Rodgers replied: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, fairly confident of that, as can be."

Maeda has two years remaining on his contract and Rodgers says talks are ongoing regarding a new deal, but the manager is unaware of any progress.

"There have been discussions going on in the background," the Celtic boss added. "I don't have any updates on it. I don't know of any developments."

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It's a balmy evening in Glasgow.

The temperature is still in the mid-20s - ideal conditions for two teams who like to get the ball down and play.

Tony Docherty
Former Dundee manager on BBC Sportsound

Falkirk will take reference from their last visit here. They need to be comfortable out of possession and be a threat going forward and it is difficult to get that balance.

The last time Falkirk went to Celtic Park, the then-Championship side flew out of the blocks and went at Celtic.

Goals from Ross MacIver and Finn Yeats had John McGlynn's side 2-1 up at half-time, before a double apiece for Adam Idah and Nicolas Kuhn ensured Celtic avoided an upset.

Still, it was notable how McGlynn's front-foot play was able to cause problems against Scotland's dominant club side.

Will league setbacks at the start of this season lead to tweaks from McGlynn or will he stick to his approach and take the game to this much-changed Celtic side?

"For us, a reference was how well we did there last season," McGlynn said earlier this week. "We've got to take a bit of confidence and belief from that.

"We're always going to create chances with the type of team we are. We want to come out of Celtic Park with our heads held high and who knows? Maybe in the quarter-finals."

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John McGlynn has been forced into a change on the wing after Ethan Ross picked up "quite a serious" ankle injury against Livingston.

Aidan Nesbitt drops to the bench as Henry Cartwright and Alfie Agyeman come into the team.

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Brendan Rodgers has made a raft of changes from his side's 2-0 win over Aberdeen last time out, perhaps with one eye on the first leg of their Champions League play-off against Kairat Almaty on Wednesday.

Viljami Sinisalo replaces Kasper Schmeichel in goal, Dane Murray and Auston Trusty form a new-look centre-back partnership, while Arne Engels and Luke McCowan come into midfield.

Up front, Johnny Kenny is preferred to Adam Idah, with James Forrest and Daizen Maeda continuing out wide.

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Celtic: Sinisalo, Johnston, Murray, Trusty, Tierney, McGregor, Engels, McCowan, Forrest, Maeda, Kenny.

Substitutes: Schmeichel, Scales, Nygren, Idah, Yang, Yamada, Bernardo, Hatate, Ralston.

Falkirk: Bain, Adams, Neilson, Henderson, McCann, Spencer, Tait, Miller, Cartwright, Agyeman, MacIver.

Substitutes: Hogarth, Oliver, Graham, Nesbitt, Allan, Mackie, Arfield, Walker, McCrone.

Celtic's defence of their Premier Sports Cup crown begins this evening as they welcome Falkirk to Parkhead in the first of eight second-round ties.

Brendan Rodgers' side have beaten St Mirren and Aberdeen to start their league season, while John McGlynn's Falkirk cruised through the group stages of this tournament before drawing against Dundee United and losing against Livingston in the Premiership.

Kick-off is 45 minutes away...

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