Matt O’Riley addresses why he had to come off during Hearts vs Celtic

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Celtic debutant Matt O’Riley has explained why he had to come off against Hearts at Tynecastle tonight.

The new signing from MK Dons had a superb yet dramatic debut in Gorgie this evening. After a fantastic first-half performance in which he bagged an assist, he was then unfortunate to give away a penalty which Liam Boyce missed. It was just the slice of luck he deserved as he produced a composed display in a heated environment.

Yet there was some real concern when O’Riley went down in the closing stages. The new Bhoy looked like he had some nasty cramp as he took his time getting off the pitch.

However, despite the concerns, it appears that he’s good and ready to be considered for selection this Saturday against Dundee United.

Speaking on Sky Sports Football post-match [26/01, 9:51pm], O’Riley said: “I’m alright. I’m just getting used to it I think. I haven’t played a game in a couple of weeks to be fair, so I’m getting up to speed.

“But come that 80-minute mark my calf just seized up a bit. It was a tough game so it makes sense doesn’t it? I’m really happy with the game overall, and now it’s time to rest up and go again on Saturday.”

Matt O’Riley won’t need time off; ready for Celtic Park debut

That’s a massive relief for Celtic supporters. Not just because he had an electric debut and looks a find, but because we simply cannot afford anymore injuries in the engine room at the moment.

That combination of Nir Bitton and O’Riley looks a promising one and something we can certainly work with moving forward. His box-to-box attributes were on full show tonight, and he’s certainly left the supporters purring too.

And when you look at his stats tonight, it’s easy to see why. According to stat experts WhoScored, O’Riley managed 8 key passes in the match. That’s 6 more than the second-highest on the pitch – Jota.

In addition to that, O’Riley also put 7 crosses into the box and showed a decent delivery range from the wide areas and from corner-kicks.

What Celtic supporters wanted to see from Matt tonight was something they could get excited about. Something they could get behind. That’s exactly what we got and then some.

And it’s an even bigger boost knowing he’s going to be fit for our game against Dundee United on Saturday.

In other news, Chris Sutton highlights 2 Celtic players after big Tynecastle performances on dramatic night