Celtic are under serious pressure to deliver this weekend as they head to Motherwell in search of nothing but three points.
The Scottish Premiership title race is still firmly on but the Hoops are at risk of handing Rangers a more commanding lead at the top than they hold just now.
Gers are now two points clear of Celtic after Brendan Rodgers failed to guide his troops to a win over Kilmarnock last weekend. Killie were deserved of their point and the Celtic performance can be described as ponderous, inept and lacking the required intensity.
Rodgers is crying out for a convincing display not just for himself and the first-team’s ambitions but for the increasingly disgruntled fanbase who are bored to tears with what they are watching on a weekly basis.
Rodgers addressed the media at Lennoxtown on Friday at his pre-match press conference to deliver his thoughts ahead of the Motherwell game.
He firstly provided some Celtic injury news on three players so here is what he had to say on Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alistair Johnston and Odin Thiago Holm.
Celtic injury latest for Motherwell
Cameron Carter-Vickers
Celtic’s rock at the heart of their defence has been a huge miss having been ruled out for three weeks before the away trip to Aberdeen.
Carter-Vickers was spotted out on the training pitch in midweek and Rodgers has now confirmed he will be in contention to start on Sunday.
“He’ll be available. I think with that level of player we’ve missed a lot over the course of the season, there’s no doubt about that.
“Him coming back at this stage is obviously very important for us. He brings an authority and an assurance to the game for us so hopefully he can stay injury-free now until the end of the season.”
Alistair Johnston
The Canadian right-back suffered a very nasty facial fracture against Hibs and had to be stretchered off and taken straight to hospital for treatment.
However, Alistair Johnston has now made a full recovery and Rodgers simply stated he will be available to play. Anthony Ralston has been Johnston’s stand-in of late so the boss will have a decision to make at right-back.
Odin Thiago Holm
Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm picked up a small injury before the disappointing draw with Kilmarnock last weekend and was not in the matchday squad.
As per Transfermarkt, he made the bench for the previous three Scottish Premiership games and may make his return to it at Fir Park.
Rodgers said: “He’ll be available. He’d been out for the last game so yeah, those three will be back in. We’ve only got a few players (long-term injuries) on that front.”
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