Martin O’Neill has provided a hopeful update on Daizen Maeda’s fitness after he sparked injury concern against Hibernian.
Moments after the full-time at Easter Road on Sunday, Maeda was leaving the pitch with his right boot completely off, and hobbling towards the dressing room.
Amid the joy of Celtic beating Hibs, which puts the team level with Premiership leaders Hearts at the top of the table, there was an element of worry regarding Maeda, as O’Neill said the topic of his injury wasn’t brought up in the dressing room.
Hopefully, that is a positive sign for all, because the last thing Celtic need is the Japan star, who opened the scoring against Hibs, sitting in the treatment room for the remaining few weeks of this season.
“I am hoping he is alright,” said O’Neill. “I think when we were discussing things in the dressing room, that didn’t rear its head at this minute.”
Who was your Celtic MOTM vs Hibs??
Martin O’Neill is ‘desperately’ hoping Daizen Maeda is fine
Maeda has been the ultimate catalyst for Celtic in recent weeks, scoring in three matches in a row, as the Hoops continue to push for their Premiership crown.
Utilising his relentless pace and chaotic pressing to terrorise opposition defences in the post-split fixtures, it isn’t a surprise that he is having to hobble off the pitch.
While the Celtic Park faithful, including O’Neill, will sit back and watch Hearts and Rangers lock horns on Bank Holiday Monday at Tynecastle.
Celtic’s next fixture is against Rangers, and everyone will be hoping that the post-match scenes at Edinburgh were just a sign of how much effort Maeda put into the match rather than him actually being injured.
Speaking to Sky Sports, O’Neill nailed it perfectly by stating that he is ‘desperately’ hoping that Maeda is fine, because the champions of Scotland ‘need him.’
Sky reporter: “In terms of Daizen Maeda, how is he? Because he came off and it looked like he was limping a bit, maybe an ankle.”
O’Neill: “I am hoping he is alright. I think when we were discussing things in the dressing room, that didn’t rear its head at this minute.
“I am hoping he is going to be okay. I desperately hope he’s going to be okay, because we need him.”
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