Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Rodgers expects McGregor to be back before end of month
CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers has been encouraged by the progress of team captain Callum McGregor as he looks to get his talisman back to fitness after the international break.
The midfielder will miss his third consecutive game when Celtic host St Johnstone today as he nurses an Achilles problem.
However, Rodgers is hopeful the 30-year-old could be available for the visit of Livingston on March 30.
“He is feeling good but he needs to get some clearance work in over the next week to 10 days and we will assess it for the Livingston game when we get back,” the Celtic boss said.
Cameron Carter-Vickers is set to return from a hamstring issue when Celtic host Saints but Liam Scales is likely to drop out of central defence.
“Cameron CarterVickers is fine, he has trained and looks good so that’s great he is available,” Rodgers said.
“Liam Scales will miss the game, we think, he has picked up a knock in training.
“He has been so robust, everything about him has been great since he came into the team. Sadly he misses this game because he has played every other minute but he should be back after the international break.”
Luis Palma, Maik Nawrocki and Reo Hatate are also working to a similar timeline while Yang Hyun-jun completes a two-match suspension on Saturday.
The loss of Scales continues a theme of Celtic’s back line being disrupted on an almost weekly basis.
“It’s throughout the team but mainly in that defensive sector, which is where your stability comes from,” Rodgers said.
“That’s been the biggest frustration over the course of the season, not being able to put out our strongest 11.
“But Tomo (Iwata) has come in and done a very, very good job in that position. So we try and maximise the players that we have to allow them to perform the very best that we can.
“We have some very good leaders in the group in Greg Taylor, Joe Hart and Ali Johnston. So these guys have stepped up when Callum hasn’t been playing.”