KIERAN TIERNEY is OUT of today’s Premiership match at Motherwell where Celtic can increase their lead at the top of the table to 12 points with a win.
The Celtic left back, who has played more minutes of competitive first team football than any other player in Europe this season, has a torn muscle and will also miss be absent from Alex McLeish’s Scotland set up when they meet up this week.
Tierney is targeting a return for the Ross County match at Celtic Park at the end of the month.
Scott Bain is likely to retain his place in the Celtic goals after an excellent debut at Ibrox on Beautiful Sunday.
This game has come too soon for Leigh Griffiths who is now back training with the squad and he too will target a return to action against Ross County. Mikael Lustig is back after serving his one match automatic suspension following his red card at Pittodrie and should start today.
Paddy Roberts and Stuart Armstrong are desperate for game time and should come on from the bench. Armstrong has been talking about the publishing schedule that the Celtic players have had to endure over the past two seasons, describing it as a ‘Bit of a Nightmare’ and you can read his comments and indeed Brendan Rodgers discussing Armstrong’s future at the club HERE.
Meanwhile skipper Scott Brown outlined his thoughts ahead of the trip to Motherwell, where the league title will seem a little closer after Kilmarnock inflicted another home defeat on Rangers yesterday at Ibrox, wining 1-0, (Boyd,55).
Here’s what the Captain had to say:
“This is huge for us. Especially just before everyone breaks up for about 10 days. Obviously, it will be great for us to get a win,” Broony said.
“We know Fir Park is going to be a hard place for us. It has been in the past. The pitch is probably going to be one of the best in the league, so it will help us.
“They are set up really well and are difficult to beat. They play a wee bit more direct than some of the other teams, but it is to their strengths.
“They have got two good strikers, they manage to hold the ball well and they have got runners. They are a good team, but we have got pace, quality and great defenders.
Brown knows that 7 in a row is now near and also that there is a great chance to complete back to back trebles, but for now it’s all about beating Motherwell today.
“We just take it one game at a time – make sure we concentrate on the league and the Cup and push on from there. Of course, it would be special, but if you start thinking about that it can start slowly drift away.
“So, you have got to make sure you work as hard as we do every day, enjoy each other’s company and make progress every day.”
Blowing the whistle, former referee on Willie Collum’s Ibrox performance
