I think Red Star Belgrade look well placed to avoid defeat when they host Celtic on Wednesday night. Vladan Milojevic’s men have made a flying start to their defence of the Serbian Superliga title, triumphing in each of their opening seven matches of the season. That return is made all the more impressive by the fact that Red Star have already racked up 30 goals in this season’s Serbian top-flight. It’s also worth noting that the Red-Whites tasted defeat just once across their six Champions League qualifying ties this season.

While Celtic have also started the season in a steady fashion, they did fail to defeat Kazakh minnows Kairat Almaty in two attempts, with both legs ending goalless inside 90 minutes. Brendan Rodgers’ side were also unable to capitalise on Rangers’ early-season woes when playing out a 0-0 draw at Ibrox last month. I think high-flying Red Star Belgrade will represent an upgrade on both of those challenges, making the hosts worthy of support on the Double Chance.

While Red Star Belgrade have been winning games and scoring goals by the bucket-load during the early months of the season, their defence has been far from watertight. In fact, the Belgrade heavyweights have failed to keep a clean sheet in five of their seven outings in this season’s Serbian Superliga, with both teams scoring in each of those five contests.

On top of that, there were also goals at both ends in five of Red Star’s six Champions League qualifiers, including a home game with minnows Lincoln Red Imps. That doesn’t bode well for the hosts, given that Celtic have scored in six of their seven domestic matches this term.

Admittedly, Brendan Rodgers’ side have performed well from a defensive perspective this term; however, I think it could be argued that this will be their toughest test of the season so far. What’s more, both teams scored in the Bhoys’ last Scottish Premiership away game at Kilmarnock.

After starting on the bench away at Partick Thistle on Sunday, I would expect Daizen Maeda to be reinstated to the Celtic starting XI on Wednesday night. The Japanese ace scored the opening goal of the game when spearheading the Hoops’ attack in their last Scottish Premiership away game at Kilmarnock. 

While that was just Maeda’s second goal of the season, he has been hitting the target on a fairly regular basis. In fact, the 27-year-old forward has registered an on-target effort in three of the four matches that he has started in this season's Scottish top-flight, not to mention he worked the opposition goalkeeper during the first leg of Celtic’s Champions League play-off tie with Kairat Almaty.

Given that Red Star have been shaky at the back this season, I think it makes sense to side with a minimum of one shot on target from Celtic talisman Maeda on Wednesday night.

Aleksandar Katai will likely be Red Star Belgrade’s danger man against Celtic on Wednesday night. The Serbian forward has been in brilliant form this term, racking up 11 goals across his seven appearances in this season’s Serbian Superliga so far. What’s more, the 34-year-old also registered three goal involvements during his side's Champions League qualifying campaign.

Dig a little deeper and it can be seen that Katai has already hit two hat-tricks in this season’s Serbian top-flight, as well as bagging a pair of braces. With such an impressive goal haul at this stage of the campaign, Katai looks well worthy of support to hit the target against Celtic on matchday one.

Brendan Rodgers’ side failed to keep a clean sheet in their most recent Scottish Premiership away game at Kilmarnock, giving up a combined total of 12 shots during that contest.

Given his goalscoring exploits this season, the aforementioned Aleksandar Katai simply looks too big to ignore in the anytime goalscorer market on Wednesday night. As mentioned, the Red Star Belgrade forward has been in red-hot form this season, netting 12 goals across his 13 appearances in all competitions to date. Moreover, a sizable seven of those 11 goals have been scored at the Rajko Mitic Stadium, and that only adds to the appeal of backing Katai to breach the Bhoys’ backline. 

While Celtic have produced a string of solid defensive showings during the early months of the season, they failed to silence Kilmarnock in their most recent assignment in the Scottish top-flight. It’s also worth mentioning that Brendan Rodgers’ side failed to keep the back door shut in seven of their ten continental contests last season.

Look for Reo Hatate to hit the target at least once in Belgrade on Wednesday night. The Celtic ace likes to try his luck in front of goal at any given opportunity, attempting a minimum of one shot in each of his four outings in this season’s Scottish Premiership. Moreover, Hatae registered on-target efforts during Celtic’s Scottish Premiership away games at both Aberdeen and Rangers earlier this season, scoring with one of those efforts. 

The classy Celtic playmaker also worked the opposition goalkeeper during the home leg of the Hoops’ Champions League play-off tie with Kairat Almaty last month, with one of his two shots during that tie hitting the target.

With Red Star Belgrade likely to take a front-foot approach on Wednesday night, Hatate should find himself in advanced areas during this contest, making him an appealing option to deliver one or more on-target efforts. 

I think Callum McGregor looks attractively priced to collect a card on Wednesday night. Typically deployed as the deepest of Celtic’s midfield three, the experienced midfielder tends to do most of his team’s dirty work in the middle of the park. That coincides with McGregor overstepping the mark from time to time, something he has already been guilty of twice this season, going into the book against both Aberdeen and Kairat Almaty. 

What’s more, McGregor has committed a minimum of one foul in each of his five appearances in this season’s Scottish Premiership, including three against St Mirren.

The Celtic stalwart could be in direct battle with Red Star Belgrade’s Tomas Handel, who was fouled a combined total of four times across his three outings in this season’s Primeira Liga before moving to the Serbian capital earlier this month.