Mikey Johnston’s return from injury is reportedly set to be tomorrow night against CFR Cluj.
The Sunday Post held an interview with the tricky winger, and reported yesterday that he’s been promised involvement against the Romanians at Parkhead.
Johnston didn’t feature in last week’s 1-1 draw with Cluj or Saturday’s 5-2 win a Fir Park against Motherwell. Instead, Lewis Morgan has been providing the cover, and to be fair to the former St Mirren man, he’s proven a reliable deputy so far.
But there’s no denying the prospect of Johnston returning is a huge boost. In his comments to the Sunday Post, he spoke about his current confidence levels.
“If I keep working hard in training and I can produce on the big stage, in front of the fans, then that’s all it’s about. I feel confident. I started in the Scottish Cup Final at the end of last season, I’ve had a good pre-season and I’m happy with how things have gone.
“But I know I need to keep stepping up. The manager wants you to make the full-back defend, run with the ball and give the opposition a problem.
“I’ve always been direct, but when you’re a winger, you need your confidence to be high to beat people all the time. The manager has given me that.”
Mikey Johnston’s return could be our ace in the deck
First and foremost – Johnston has a scary amount of talent. His ability to dazzle full-backs and get into promising areas in the final third is by far his best trait. But the speed in which he can do it is what makes him stand out from the pack.
It remains to be seen if Johnston actually starts tomorrow night. Even though the Sunday Post have effectively confirmed his involvement, nothing is official until Neil Lennon says so at his pre-match presser.
But this is something Lennon had hoped for before the Motherwell game too. When he confirmed Johnston’s absence, he stated that he had hoped he would be fit for the Cluj match. Having him back is most certainly a huge bonus for the Hoops if he does complete his return.
Unfortunately for Morgan it likely means that he drops out. However, with a Betfred Cup clash against Dunfermline Athletic coming up on Saturday, he’s likely to be given another chance in that one.
So, in all likelihood, it could be a front four of James Forrest, Ryan Christie, Johnston, and Odsonne Edouard. That’s enough for supporters to get excited ahead of tomorrow night.
And with so many big games coming up, it’s great to see that Mikey’s injury knock isn’t long-term.
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