Charlie Mulgrew makes training claim to why Celtic aren’t playing Viljami Sinisalo

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Celtic’s goalkeeping position is currently under intense scrutiny.

After two difficult performances back-to-back, Kasper Schmeichel is facing scrutiny, even being booed by some fans in Celtic’s 4-1 defeat to Stuttgart.

The elephant in the room is Viljami Sinisalo, who is the obvious alternative to the struggling Dane. So will he come into the team?

On Premier Sports Ireland, Charlie Mulgrew said: “It’s Martin O’Neill and the staff that see him every day in training, so he must not be doing enough.

“The games where he’s come in, he’s done okay, no huge errors. But he’s not done enough to start in that place ahead of Kasper Schmeichel.

“When you’re going to make that decision as a manager, like Martin O’Neill, it ripples right through the changing room.

“Because he’s a big character in there, so if he’s going to make it, you need to make sure that you’re making the right decision.”

Where has it gone wrong for Kasper Schmeichel this season?

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Charlie Mulgrew on Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel

Schmeichel suffered a serious shoulder injury while playing for Denmark almost a year ago.

Up until then, he had barely put a foot (or hand) wrong in a Celtic shirt.

READ MORE: Celtic recruitment slated by American pundits after Stuttgart defeat

Since then, errors have repeatedly crept into his game. He does not look as comfortable with his body as he was last season.

Mulgrew also thinks his mentality is suffering, saying: “The longer it goes, he’s losing confidence.

“You hear the boos there at the end, as he’s receiving the ball… it’s not nice to hear. He’s not meaning to make these mistakes.

“He probably trains every day, hard, and he’s probably desperate to make these saves and be the number-one goalkeeper for Celtic.

“Right now, it’s just not happening.”

Schmeichel remains Denmark’s first-choice goalkeeper, but £20 million-men Mads Hermansen and Filip Jorgensen’s shadows are growing larger ahead of next month’s World Cup play-offs.

Viljami Sinisalo at Celtic

Signed from Aston Villa after an excellent season on loan at League One with Exeter, Sinisalo was widely praised as a smart choice for an understudy to Schmeichel.

He has made 13 competitive appearances in total, most of which were in the immediate aftermath of Schmeichel’s injury last year.

When the Dane returned to the team for the Scottish Cup final, his costly error cost the Hoops the trophy, and subsequently the treble.

Sinisalo has appeared five times this season, playing in early rounds of the cup competitions as well as filling in for an injured Schmeichel away at Livingston.