Martin O’Neill hasn’t inherited the strongest Celtic squad.
It’s no surprise that he is urging the club to get January business done fast, just as Brendan Rodgers did.
In the last three transfer windows, Celtic have lost Nicolas Kuhn, Kyogo Furuhashi and Matt O’Riley… a lot of goals and assists.
It’s fair to say that replacing them has been a struggle, with the arrivals of Jota and Kelechi Iheanacho not having the desired impact due to injury.
O’Neill could do with that pair, as well as Alistair Johnston – he gave a squad update ahead of his first game back in interim charge.
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Martin O’Neill on Celtic’s Jota, Kelechi Iheanacho and Alistair Johnston
Since Jota last played a game for the Celts, they have changed manager three times.
Iheanacho was only able to make one appearance under Wilfried Nancy, being withdrawn in the first half of the Premier Sports Cup final against St Mirren.
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O’Neill will be hoping to see plenty more of them as he takes his side into a title race in the late part of the season.
And today’s clash with Dundee United would be a start, given that this is no longer a Celtic team used to winning.
Speaking on Iheanacho and Johnston, O’Neill said; ”It shouldn’t be too long now for both of them. They’ve been on the grass.
“They are training on their own now. They are not too far away.”
He was then quizzed on Jota, who hasn’t been seen since picking up a serious injury against today’s opposition in April last season.
O’Neill said: ”Funnily enough I was actually speaking to him at lunchtime there. He’s still a fair distance away.”
Cameron Carter-Vickers looks to be in a battle to be fit for next summer’s World Cup.
The team I would start against Dundee United is…
What changes will Martin O’Neill make for Celtic against Dundee United?
Liam Scales had virtually played every game for Celtic until Nancy dropped him against Dundee United – given his form under O’Neill, he seems the most likely to return to the side on Saturday.
Anthony Ralston had been struggling with his form in an unfamiliar wide centre-back role. With Julian Araujo in the door, Ralston now has more competition for his place in the side.
Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha are both back in the building after AFCON, bolstering Celtic’s wide options.
If one of that pair starts, we could see Daizen Maeda put back into a central role in place of Johnny Kenny.
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