LENNON’S EXCITED TO FINALLY WELCOME BACK HIS FORREST FLAME

St Johnstone v Celtic Tom. noon BY MICHAEL GANNON

NEIL LENNON admits James Forrest has been a major miss for Celtic this season as the wide man gears up for his Hoops return this weekend.

The 29-year-old is set to be named in the squad for tomorrow’s clash with St Johnstone after five months out with an ankle injury.

Lennon (left) reckons Forrest does not always get the credit for his impact at Parkhead and losing the winger for a such a prolonged spell hit the Hoops title hopes.

The Celtic boss said: “James was training Monday and Tuesday, he went to see a specialist on Wednesday and we were hoping for the all-clear.

“We may have him in the squad for the weekend.

“Do some people take him for granted? You could say that, yeah. It shouldn’t be a reminder but we

have missed him, there’s no question of that. Could it have been a different kind of season? Absolutely, no question. He is a top player, a top boy, he loves the club.”

Forrest last featured in Celtic’s Europa League qualifying win in Riga back in September – when the Hoops were still in the hunt for 10 in a row.

The landscape has been ripped up with Rangers charging 18 points ahead going in to the Premiership home straight but Lennon believes the attacker will be desperate to finish the season strongly.

He said: “James will have been missing playing more than anyone. Any team would miss a player of that quality. His contribution to this club has been unbelievable, magnificent, and certainly in my time since coming back.

“Before the lockdown he was up around 18/19 goals and probably as many assists as well and he’s been doing that consistently for the best part of six or seven years. He’s had a stellar career so far and there’s a lot more to come from him.”

Lennon doesn’t think the extended absence will have charged Forrest (right) up any more than usual – and the Scotland star is always itching to make an impact.

He said: “This has been a real hammer blow for him mentally. It’s such a significant season and he’s contributed in all the other seasons.

He just loves playing football. He’s one of those kids who doesn’t go on social media, doesn’t court public opinion, a bit like Callum Mcgregor.

“They just come in and play football, they’re natural born footballers. We have missed him around the place and certainly missed him on the pitch so it’s great to have him back.”

Defender Stephen Welsh is expected to miss out due to an ankle knock suffered at St Mirren.

I WAS surprised to hear Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claim Manchester United should not have been considered title contenders after the disappointment of their 3-3 draw with Everton.

It’s only last month that United went top of the table and yet Solskjaer seems determined to play down their

title credentials. After the setback of Everton’s 95th-minute equaliser at Old Trafford, he claimed: “We’ve come a long way and we shouldn’t have been considered title contenders.”

Why shouldn’t one of the biggest clubs in the world be considered challengers? In a season where Leicester, West

Ham or Aston Villa could finish in the top four, why shouldn’t Manchester United think big? I don’t understand the mentality of playing down their chances.

OK, so Manchester City are going to take some stopping but since when have United been top of the league in January and thought they can’t win the title?

SAM ALLARDYCE says Mbaye Diagne can be his ace in the pack in West Brom’s survival fight.

Allardyce (right) saw two Diagne goals wiped out for offside in the 2-0 defeat at Tottenham last weekend.

But The Baggies chief saw enough to believe the striker, on loan from Galatasaray, can have a major impact.

He said: “We didn’t create many chances at Tottenham but all three of the ones that we did, Diagne was on the end of them. If we provide the right crosses he will get opportunities to score.

“If you look at those chances, with his firsthalf header he pulled away from the defender but didn’t quite connect as he wanted and Hugo Lloris saved it.

“And two others were finished off but just offside (right). If that doesn’t tell the players what service they need to provide, and we can’t provide that service, he won’t score.

“If we can, I’m convinced he will score goals and will give us the chance to win games. Then, it’s up to us to defend better than we have been.”

Allardyce has set a 38-point target if West Brom are to survive. But with only two wins so far this season, the upturn in form required will have to be dramatic.

He added: “Obviously, we’re in a difficult situation but my mind is working constantly to find solutions.

“I was hoping by this stage it would be easier to start picking teams, but because of the inconsistency and results I’m still working to find those solutions.

“We must improve and we must do that very quickly, because time is running out.”