DAVIES A NO-GO

Bhoys miss out on Everton ace as loan bid fails

CeltiC have failed in an attempt to land england Under-21 midfielder tom Davies on loan from everton.

Davies made a bright start to the season and was made captain by Goodison boss Marco Silva for everton’s game with Arsenal in September but hasn’t played a minute in the english Premier league since coming off in the 2-1 win at leicester on October 6.

the 20-year-old’s situation prompted West Ham and Celtic to make enquiries about his availability, with lee Congerton, Celtic’s director of football, especially keen to take him to Parkhead.

When asked if he would allow Davies to move in the New Year, Silva replied: ‘No way. impossible. No way. tom is part of our squad. He is an important player for me and an important player for us as a club. He is the present and the future of our club.

‘i know tom is not playing the last few games but that is not his fault. it is because the players in that position are playing very well.’

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers did receive good news yesterday when an X-ray showed no fracture to Ryan Christie’s leg despite the midfielder being stretchered off in thursday’s 2-1 defeat to Red Bull Salzburg.

‘He’s a huge loss to us but we will assess it and see how the damage is in the next couple of days,’ said Rodgers. ‘He has been a very important player.

‘We’ve found that with important players, we lose them. But it happens, we have got to deal with it.’

IN Scottish football, a flurry of festive fixtures always accompanies the wintry countdown to Christmas. Yet while there are plenty in the Premiership who rate December as the busiest month of the sporting year, it merely represents business as usual for Celtic.

Brendan Rodgers’ league leaders kicked off the month by winning the Betfred Cup final 1-0 against Aberdeen at Hampden on December 2.

They will round it off eight games later with an Old Firm trip to face Rangers at Ibrox on December 29.

But it is no more intense a round of matches than they faced in the summer, when a trip to Rosenborg on August 1 for a Champions League qualifier was the start of a nine-game period, culminating in a 3-0 Europa League qualifier win over FK Suduva 29 days later.

Progression to the Europa League knock-outs after Thursday night’s 2-1 home loss to Red Bull Salzburg means a more crowded calendar in the early part of 2019.

At least two further matches are assured in February in the last 32, with the promise of more to follow if successful.

But such a hectic schedule is not only to be expected at a big club. It is also to be desired.

For Celtic’s players, it is the price they pay for remaining in contention for an unprecedented domestic treble Treble while continuing down the road to the Europa League final in Baku.

‘People always say that December is a busy month — but every month has been like that for us right from the start of the season,’ said attacker James Forrest.

‘Most of us have played pretty much the same number of games but we have the players and the squad that can keep bouncing back game after game.

‘We now have at least another two matches more than anyone else next year because we qualified from our Europa League group.

‘But you want to be in Europe after Christmas because it gives you a real boost and you want to play for your country, as well.

‘So yes, we do play more matches than the others. But that’s because we’ve been successful.

‘When the manager first came here to the club, he said that the top players and the best teams always play the most games — and that’s what we want to do.

‘But we will just take it game by game as we always do.

‘We have five Premiership fixtures left before the winter break starts and we will be looking to take three points from all of them.’

Celtic’s December fixtures continue with a lunchtime trip to Easter Road tomorrow.

Before the winter shutdown they conclude their run of games with home matches against Motherwell and Dundee, and a Boxing Day trip to Aberdeen before signing off at Ibrox.

Forrest expects a tough match tomorrow against Neil Lennon’s men, whose 1-0 win at Hamilton last week was their first victory in eight matches.

But the Celtic forward believes his side will be boosted by pipping Bundesliga giants RB Leipzig to finish second in Europa League Group B.

Even if losing to Salzburg but going through to the last 32 was a weird, bittersweet feeling.

‘We can take the positivity from getting out of the group stage into the game at Easter Road on Sunday,’ said Forrest.

‘Of course, we don’t like losing in front of our own fans but, over the piece, we did well enough in some difficult matches.

‘It was definitely a bit of a strange feeling at full-time.

‘We were all disappointed because we had lost at home in Europe, but that will pass over the next few days.

‘I think we can say that we did enough over the six matches to qualify.

‘It was a hard group so we can be really positive about what we have achieved.

‘We did what we set out to do and we need to look forward to the next round in the New Year.

‘I felt we showed character in the group stage and we will need to do that on Sunday at Easter Road, as well.

‘Ever since Neil Lennon has been at Hibs they have given us really hard games.

‘That’s been the case for a few seasons now and we know it’s going to be really tough through there.

‘We know we will need to really be at it on Sunday.’

Celtic were left ruing injuries to Ryan Christie and Mikael Lustig against Salzburg.

On-form Christie left the pitch on a stretcher and departed the ground on crutches after blocking a shot by Takumi Minamino.

There was good news yesterday as scans showed no fracture, but Christie is set to miss out tomorrow.

As is Sweden international Lustig, who suffered a suspected concussion after taking an elbow to the head from Salzburg’s Stefan Lainer.

Rodgers will also be without former Hibs striker Leigh Griffiths, who is taking a break from football after struggling with ‘ongoing issues’.

But Forrest believes Celtic possess the necessary depth in their squad to cope with the loss of such valuable players.

‘I think we’ve dealt really well with injuries in the last couple of months,’ he said.

‘We’ve had key players out but the ones who have come in have had a chance to stake their claim.

‘You saw that with Ryan Christie, who has come into the team and done superbly well in the last few months.

‘It’s still too early to say how Ryan is going to be but with the form he’s been in for club and country, everyone will be hoping he’s all right and that he will be back sooner rather than later.

‘Until then, it’s opened up for someone else. Competition for places is always healthy.’