Cameron Carter-Vickers definitely won’t start for Celtic against Lazio on Wednesday night.
However, the Hoops defender could make his long-awaited return from injury off the bench. That’s the update from Brendan Rodgers ahead of the visit of the Serie A side.
Carter-Vickers hasn’t featured for the Hoops since our mid-August win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie. He’s missed our last seven matches, with the likes of Liam Scales and Gustaf Lagerbielke deputising.
The USA international will add real quality to our backline when he does return from his hamstring issue. That comeback was understood to have been set for after the international break. However, it now seems very much like Carter-Vickers will feature either against Lazio or Kilmarnock this weekend. It’s a very welcome surprise.
“Cameron wouldn’t be to start,” Rodgers said of Wednesday’s game. “It’s about whether we can get him on the bench.
“And if he had to come on and play 20 minutes to half an hour then great. If not, then we’ll keep him for the weekend. But he’s shown up really well.
“He’s needing to see his reaction to our last day of training and work and take it from there. But he’s very positive and it’s great news for us because we didn’t think he’d be back until after the international break.
“He’s worked very hard and everything he’s done with the medical team he’s shown up very well. He’s obviously been back in with us a little bit. It will be like signing a new player.” (The Herald)
Carter-Vickers has been back in training for the best part of a week now. From what Rodgers is saying, it seems like he may find a way into the matchday squad for Wednesday night.
Given the time he has missed over the past five months, we really can’t afford to rush him back and risk him picking up another injury. Perhaps he should only feature against Lazio as a last resort.
Liam Scales and Nat Phillips is the partnership that is extremely likely to start the game. It’s going to be a big night for them, with Carter-Vickers watching on.
In other news, Brown, Cahill, Duffy and more react to Celtic great Tom Rogic’s big message
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
