Caley Thistle have been a thorn in Celtic’s side and Inverness midfielder Liam Polworth wants the class of 2016 to create a memory of its own at Parkhead today.
Caley Jags announced themselves to Scottish football with a 3-1 Scottish Cup victory at Parkhead in the first meeting between the sides in 2000 when the Highlanders were still in the First Division.
A 1-0 victory in the same competition followed at Caledonian Stadium three years later, while Caley Jags also defeated Celtic 3-2 in last April’s semi-final at Hampden before winning the tournament against Falkirk the following month.
Inverness have also clocked up four league victories against the Hoops. Polworth has no such happy memories, with Caley Jags falling to heavy defeats on all four of his Parkhead outings.
Caley Jags remain the only team to have taken points from Celtic in the Premiership this season, in September’s 2-2 draw at Caledonian Stadium, and Polworth believes his side can go one better by inflicting a first league defeat on Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.
He said: “The game is special. It’s one of the matches we all look for on the fixture list. It’s a chance to test ourselves and see what level we are at.
“The club has had some famous results against Celtic over the years and any time we can get something against them it’s a bonus. It would be huge to do something special again. I was only about five when the club had that famous win in 2000, a bit too young to remember it.
“But there’s been so many great Celtic games over the years. It would be brilliant to add a bit of history. It would be something the players would relish. We’ve got a few players who have been there and done it against Celtic, so there will be no fear.
“I’ve played at Parkhead three or four times and got beaten every time. Maybe it’s about time.”
Polworth expects a stern test of nerve against a Hoops side which is nine points clear at the top of the Premiership table and added: “They have been very strong this season, especially at home. If they have done that to most teams then maybe we’ll catch them on a day when they can’t finish and we can.
“There’s got to be a bit of luck involved. We can’t deny Celtic chances, so we need the goalkeeper to have a great performance and them to miss a few.
“We need the break of the ball but when the chances come for us we need to put them away.”
