Champions League Play-offs: Mowbray focuses on Gunners

Celtic boss Tony Mowbray will take no notice of the convincing home win over St Johnstone when he writes out the team lines ahead of the Champions League play-off clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Hoops, who trail 2-0 from the first leg in Glasgow, warmed up with a 5-2 win over the Clydesdale Bank Premier League new boys at Celtic Park.

Marc-Antoine Fortune and Scott McDonald were reinstated to the side after being dropped for the visit of the Gunners and both found the net, with the former Nancy striker scoring his first two goals since his move from the French club in the summer.

And Shaun Maloney grabbed a double, with Collin Samuel and Jody Morris scoring consolations for the visitors.

But Mowbray has now, turned his attention to Arsenal, revealing that his starting 11 is already picked.

“When the Arsenal tie came out, my idea of how the team might play was settled pretty quickly,” Mowbray said.

“The result of the first leg alters your thought patterns of how you might set up in the second leg.

“If we had been sitting here 2-0 up, then I would probably play a different team to one that is 2-0 down and having to score some goals.

“But I am pretty clear in my mind what my team will be next Wednesday.

“I understand that if we lose 2-0 again, I will be judged to have got the team wrong again but if we win 3-0 then hopefully everyone will be pretty happy.”

While, Mowbray will be without Cameroon international Landry N’Guemo through suspension, the Celtic boss claimed that was not the only reason he was left out of the St Johnstone game.

“It was partly that,” Mowbray said.

“But he has two international games coming up halfway round the world and if you have the opportunity to look after your players, you take it.”

Mowbray, however, will risk the ire of the Celtic fans and indeed Fortune and McDonald, if his two main strikers are relegated again to the bench in London.

Fortune insisted it was only a matter of time before he broke his duck at his new club and is looking to build on that double against the Gunners.

“I hoped to start last Tuesday, I hope to start every game,” Fortune said.

“Every player wants to play in the big games in the Champions League so of course I was a bit disappointed but the team comes first.

“It will be difficult because, as everyone knows, Arsenal are a tough team to play against.

“But we did it against Moscow in the previous round so we will see what happens on Wednesday.”