Injury Concern Over Alistair Johnston
Celtic defender Alistair Johnston faces another spell on the sidelines after suffering a suspected recurrence of his hamstring injury during a 2-1 victory away against Hibernian at Easter Road. The Canada international, who spent a significant portion of the previous campaign dealing with hamstring problems and had been sidelined since August, was introduced as a substitute in the fixture.
However, his return lasted only 21 minutes before he was forced off the pitch and replaced by Cameron Carter-Vickers. Celtic manager Martin O’Neill confirmed after the final whistle that the 28-year-old defender felt a discomfort in the same area, casting doubt on his availability for upcoming domestic and European fixtures.
- Alistair Johnston lasted just 21 minutes as a substitute against Hibernian before coming off.
- Manager Martin O’Neill confirmed the player felt a familiar niggle in his hamstring.
- Johnston is scheduled to undergo a medical scan to determine the exact severity of the problem.
- Cameron Carter-Vickers made a positive return from a separate injury, playing the final 17 minutes.
Title Race and Upcoming Fixtures
Despite the physical setback regarding Johnston, the Glasgow club secured a vital three points thanks to a winning goal from Camilo Duran following an earlier own goal by Jason Kerr. The narrow triumph allowed Celtic to bounce back immediately from their midweek defeat against Celta Vigo in the Europa League and re-establish a four-point advantage at the summit of the Scottish Premiership standings after claiming nine victories from their opening ten league matches.
Manager O’Neill highlighted the resilience of his squad in difficult conditions, emphasizing the importance of welcoming back key players as the schedule intensifies. Celtic prepare to host Dundee United at Celtic Park in their next domestic outing on Wednesday, aiming to maintain momentum ahead of the forthcoming international break while awaiting medical updates on their defensive personnel.
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