Leigh Griffiths has a fresh air shot before Ryan Christie knocks the loose ball over the top inside a busy penalty area.

The waves of Celtic attacks continue and a deflected effort from David Turnbull is not too far away.

The one-way traffic continues as Ryan Christie lashes a shot over the top from 20 yards.

Steven Pressley
Former Scotland defender on BBC Sportsound

Image source, SNS

Pat Bonner
Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

From the corner, Falkirk are cut open by some sharp passes and Leigh Griffiths steers a first-time shot inches wide from near the penalty spot.

Now David Turnbull has a dig and his raking shot looks like it might be creeping in at the far post before keeper Robbie Mutch gets a touch.

Tom Rogic drops a shoulder to make room for a long-range shot, but the ball flies high and wide.

Diego Laxalt darts in behind the visitors' defence but he can only glance an awkward header wide from a Tom Rogic cross.

All a bit tippy-tappy, with Celtic enjoying a lot of touches and Falkirk camped in.

And away we go.

Celtic interim manager John Kennedy tells BBC Radio Scotland his side are ignoring the noise suggesting Eddie Howe may be appointed as new manager.

He said: "The players are focused on the game. The most important thing for us is the Scottish Cup. We're the current champions, we want to win it again. There's always speculation and rumours and stories going round, we've got to put that to one side.

"I'm calm about it all [my future]. What will be will be."

Falkirk co-manager David McCracken tells BBC Radio Scotland: "Yes, we've made changes but there's a few young boys in there that have played well so why should they not get the opportunity to play at Parkhead?

"The games are so condensed. We're fortunate we're getting to play the games but it's how we manage that.

"We've told the boys to make the most of it."

Falkirk have already had a crack at one of the Old Firm this season. They lost 4-0 at home to Rangers in the League Cup November and, yes, it was as comfortable as the scoreline suggests.

Since League 1 resumed last month, the Bairns have rattled off two wins and a draw to extend their lead at the top.

Promotion is a must for a club of their size.

Image source, SNS

It’s been a while since these two last met.

Celtic skipper Scott Brown was on target in a 3-1 League Cup victory back in January 2012.

James Forrest also played that day.

All of the chatter around Celtic of late has been focused on Eddie Howe.

The Glasgow giants are in talks with the former Bournemouth boss, with negotiations described by those in the know as “advanced”.

The 43-year-old worked wonders at The Cherries, taking them from League Two to the Premier League, where they stayed for five seasons.

Having spent 25 years at the south-coast club as a player and over two spells as manager, he left in August last year following relegation.

Would Celtic fans be happy with that appointment? Let us know with the thumbs below…

Image source, Getty Images

It's a much changed Falkirk team from Tuesday's draw with Dumbarton, with only three players keeping their place.

Scott Mercer, Lewis Neilson and Euan Deveney come into the defence while attacking players Anton Dowds, Conor Sammon, Kai Fotheringham, Kyle McLelland and Akeel Francis also start.

Ben Hall, Paul Dixon, Blair Alston, Morgaro Gomis, Charlie Telfer and Aidan Keena drop to the bench. Mark Durnan, who was sent off against the Sons, is not in the squad and neither is Callumn Morrison.

Tonight's match is the fifth of nine games the Bairns have scheduled over the space of a month, which perhaps explains the amount of changes.

Still, it's a shame for senior players to miss such a big game.

Image source, SNS

The big team news for Celtic is James Forrest making his first start since September. The experienced winger has made a few appearances as a substitute as he makes his way back to fitness and he only has a few games of the season remaining to press his case for a return to the Scotland squad.

Leigh Griffiths gets a rare start and the striker could do with something special over the next few weeks if he is to impress Scotland boss Steve Clarke, who is in the final stages of plotting his pool of players for the summer's European Championship.

The only other change to the team that drew with Rangers before the international break is Tom Rogic's inclusion in midfield. Callum McGregor, Mohamed Elyounoussi and Odsonne Edouard drop to the bench.

Image source, SNS

Celtic: Bain, Kenny, Ajer, Welsh, Laxalt, Brown, Turnbull, Christie, Rogic, Forrest, Griffiths.

Substitutes: Barkas, Taylor, Duffy, Ajeti, Soro, Edouard, McGregor, Ralston, Elyounoussi.

Falkirk: Mutch, Mercer, Neilson, Deveney, McClelland, G Miller Leitch, Fotheringham, Dowds, Francis, Sammon.

Substitutes: Cantley, Dixon, Hall, Alston, Keena, Gomis, Laverty, Telfer, L Miller.

The 10-in-a-row dreams ended in tears with a pretty disastrous league campaign for Celtic, but can they end the season on a high with a fifth successive Scottish Cup?

John Kennedy never managed to get his hands on the trophy as a player but he was part of the backroom staff for the last four triumphs.

He took the reins following Neil Lennon’s departure in February and the interim manager has overseen a win and two draws in the Premiership so far.

Image source, Getty Images