The only downside to Celtic’s emphatic 7-0 win over St Johnstone was the injury suffered by recent Hoops signing Hatem Abd Elhamed.
The right-back performed well on his Hoops debut. However, he suffered an injury early in the second-half and was replaced by Anthony Ralston.
Neil Lennon confirmed to the official Celtic Twitter account that the player had a ‘dead leg’, The player will be monitored ahead of Wednesday’s match against Cluj.
Manager impressed with new signing
The Hoops boss was impressed with his new signing though, describing him as ‘outstanding’.
If Elhamed is out for the Cluj game, it will leave the Hoops boss with a colossal decision to make. He would have to decide if to play Anthony Ralston at right-back, or shift Kristoffer Ajer to that position.
Ajer has played at right-back more often than Ralston. However, should he play at right-back in Romania, Ajer would be moved from his best position.
Has featured recently for the Hoops
Ralston’s lack of performances could be a concern, but he is an actual right-back. He has also featured in the last two games for the Hoops.
It is a decision that Lennon will need to get right. Getting a good result in Romania may depend on the defence chosen on the night. That includes right-back, which has turned into a vital position for the Hoops.
Hopefully Elhamed recovers from his injury in time, and is able to make his debut for the Hoops. Should that not be the case, then Neil Lennon has a big decision to make.
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