Ross County could feel the wrath of what will be a wounded Celtic team this weekend. Brendan Rodgers will demand a response from his side on Sunday following their humbling Champions League experience in Dortmund in midweek.

On the domestic front this season, the Hoops have made a habit of scoring early, making them an attractive option to be leading at half-time. Celtic have found themselves in front at the interval in five of their six Scottish Premiership matches this season, and that includes each of their three top-flight road trips to date. In fact, the Scottish giants have had their noses in front at half-time in seven of their overall 10 matches across all competitions this term to date.

While Ross County have rarely found themselves behind at the break this season, they were two goals down when they came up against Rangers back in August, and Celtic can follow suit by calling upon their superior quality in Dingwall.

Look to Celtic to overcome a -1 start on the handicap on Sunday afternoon. Brendan Rodgers’ side have been holding nothing back against their opponents this season and there is no case to suggest that they may take their foot off the gas at the Global Energy Stadium.

Celtic have fired in 20 goals across their first six Scottish Premiership matches of the season, a goal return that has coincided with them clearing a -1 hurdle on the handicap in each of their six victories. That is something that they have also managed to achieve in each of their two Scottish League Cup successes this season, as well as their 5-1 hammering of Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League.

While Ross County have lost twice this season, one of those defeats was a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Rangers, which doesn’t bode well ahead of their latest tussle with Old Firm opposition this weekend.

Given how many goal-heavy games Celtic have been involved in this season, siding with a goal in each half makes plenty of sense in the Highlands on Sunday. The net has bulged either side of the break in four of the Bhoys’ six Scottish Premiership matches this season, with all of the goals across that four-game sample coming from free-scoring Celtic.

What’s more, each of Celtic’s two Scottish League Cup ties this term have produced at least one goal in both halves of the game. That trend has also carried over onto the continental stage, with there being no shortage of goals in each half during each of Celtic’s opening two Champions League games of the season.

It’s also worth pointing out that each of Ross County’s last two league games have featured goals both before and after the referee’s half-time whistle.

A minimum of two Ross County cards should be within range on Sunday given the amount of defensive work the home team will have to get through. The Staggies are averaging a shade under 2.5 yellow cards per game in the Scottish Premiership this season, collecting multiple cautions in six of their seven games so far. Don Cowie’s side clocked up four cards away at Hearts last Saturday, and they now face a serious step up in class this weekend against a Celtic side that have been in irresistible form this season.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have drawn two or more cards from five of their eight domestic challengers this term. What’s more, both Slovan Bratislava and Borussia Dortmund went into the referee’s notebook at least twice during their respective clashes with the Parkhead club.

Celtic’s sobering 7-1 defeat at the hands of Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday was just the latest in a long line of high-scoring games involving the Hoops this season. In fact, a sizable eight of their 10 matches across all competitions this season have broken the over 2.5 goal barrier.

That doesn’t even begin to tell the full story though, as each of Celtic’s last four matches have produced six or more match strikes. What makes Celtic’s form in front of goal this term all the more remarkable is the fact that they themselves have covered the over 2.5 line in seven of their 10 assignments thus far.

As such, another game featuring over 2.5 goals holds plenty of appeal when they go up against Ross County on Sunday, The Staggies last home game ended 3-3 with St Johnstone, not to mention two of the three meetings between the pair last season featured at least three goals.

Kyogo Furuhashi represents Celtic’s biggest goal threat and he merits support to get on the scoresheet on Sunday. The Japanese striker struck twice during last Saturday’s 6-0 rout of St Johnstone. He has also notched in Celtic’s recent wins over both Rangers and Slovan Bratislava, and he should be presented with scoring opportunities against a Ross County team that are far from reliable at the back.

Don Cowie’s side have failed to keep the back door shut in five of their last six Scottish Premiership matches. Across that five-game sample the Staggies have shipped six goals to Rangers and three to St Johnstone, so the Celtic sharpshooter could capitalise on that defensive vulnerability. On top of this, Kyogo has proven to be a thorn in Ross County’s side over the years, having hit the back of the net against the highland club in each of the previous three seasons.

Ross County’s Connor Randall appears to have upped his aggression this season and he looks overpriced to pick up another card on Sunday. The Staggies midfielder was cautioned during County’s 1-1 draw with Hearts last weekend. That was the Englishman’s third yellow card in seven appearances in this season’s Scottish Premiership. He was averaging just shy of one foul-per game in the Scottish top-flight last term and that trend has carried over into this campaign thus far.

He is likely to be tasked with trying to shackle Celtic’s club record signing Arne Engles. The Belgian international has been fouled four times across his opening three Scottish Premiership appearances for his new club. Engles has also earned his side a combined total of five free-kicks over his two Champions League outings for the Hoops, two of which came against Borussia Dortmund in midweek. With all that in mind, the aforementioned Randall looks like a strong contender to have another card flashed in his direction on Sunday.

Ross County will set out to disrupt Celtic’s rhythm and that could lead to a few bookings coming their way. That makes backing the hosts to collect the most cards an obvious angle of attack in Dingwall on Sunday. Don Cowie’s side have been shown more cards than that of their opponents in five of their seven Scottish Premiership matches this season so far. They also picked up the most bookings when being dumped out of the Scottish League Cup by League Two side Spartans.

As for Celtic, they tend to find themselves on the receiving end of plenty of rough treatment from their foes. Brendan Rodgers’ side have seen four of their six opponents in the Scottish Premiership this season receive more cards than them. That was also the case in their Champions League win over Slovan Bratislava, as well as their recent Scottish League Cup success against Falkirk.