By Lewis Anderson

Copyright glasgowworld

Brendan Rodgers has named his Celtic starting XI to face Partick Thistle for their Premier Sports Cup quarter-final tie at Firhill in Glasgow’s West End. Having knocked out Falkirk in the previous round, the Hoops continue their trophy defence by making the short trip across the city to face Championship opposition, with a place in the last-four and a visit to the national stadium at stake for both clubs. With the Scottish champions also having one eye on the start of their Europa League campaign which begins next week against Red Star Belgrade in Serbia, Rodgers has opted to freshen up his team as a result. Rodgers makes FOUR changes to his starting line-up from the side that ran out 2-1 winners over Kilmarnock on league duty last weekend. There’s a change between the sticks with Viljami Sinisalo replacing Kasper Schmeichel. Kieran Tierney comes in for Marcello Saracchi at left-back, while Yang Hyun-jun is favoured over Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Kelechi Iheanacho comes in for his first start, with Daizen Maeda benched. “It’s a competition we’ve enjoyed throughout the years. In my time here I’ve always had a focus to do well in this competition. We’re the holders of the trophy, so we want to make sure we not only do well in it but win it, and that’s the plan. “The League Cup gives you a real focus and purpose at the beginning of the season. Sunday is an opportunity to get to Hampden and we want to get there, but we respect Partick and Mark (Wilson) and his team. We know we have to go there and play well to get to the semi-final.” Here’s your confirmed starting XI’s ahead of this afternoon’s cup tie in Maryhill… Lewis Budinauckas; Cammy Logan, Patrick Reading, Lee Ashcroft (C), Logan Chalmers, Robbie Crawford, Daniel O’Reilly, Aidan Fitzpatrick, Ben Stanway, Tony Watt, Ts’oanelo Lets’sosa SUBS: Luis Cameron (GK), Kyle Turner, Oisin Smyth, Alex Samuel, Stevie Lawless, Zander MacKenzie, Luke McBeth, Thomas Horn, Matthew Falconer. Viljami Sinisalo; Colby Donovan, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, Kieran Tierney, Callum McGregor (C), Reo Hatate, Benjamin Nygren, Yang Hyun-jun, Sebastian Tounekti, Kelechi Iheanacho. SUBS: Kasper Schmeichel (GK), Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Luke McCowan, Arne Engels, Paulo Bernardo, Marcello Saracchi, Daizen Maeda, Dane Murray, James Forrest.