HAT’S THE WAY I LIKE IT
Reo’s return biggest source of sunshine says Macca... he can terrorise Gers with Kyogo supply
FRANK McAVENNIE reckons Reo Hatate is back from injury just in time to be a title race game-changer for Celtic.
The Japanese playmaker returned to action for only the second time this year in the Hoops’ 3-0 victory at Livingston last weekend.
And his comeback couldn’t have been timed better for manager Brendan Rodgers ahead of today’s showdown with Rangers at Ibrox.
McAvennie reckons whoever wins the derby will take a huge step closer to the league crown.
And having
Hatate linking up again with
Kyogo Furuhashi will be a huge bonus for Celts.
The former
Parkhead idol said: “Hatate only played for an hour at Livi but he showed the fans what they’d been missing since January.
“Reo is different to Celtic’s other midfielders because he’s always running forward and moving the ball forward.
“He gets them up the pitch and has a great understanding with Kyogo, giving him the quick early passes he loves.
“If Rangers play with a high press then those two can terrorise them with clever balls over the top. Hatate looked really sharp at Livi and I’m delighted for him.
“With Callum McGregor coming back as well they’ll help to take the pressure off Matt O’Riley and allow him to get back to his best.”
McAvennie believes a win and a draw from this season’s remaining derbies would be enough to bank the cash bonanza from UEFA for Champion League football.
He said: “Whoever comes out on top in the derbies will win the league but Celtic are looking more likely for me at this stage.
“Brendan has a full- strength squad to choose from for the first time this season and that should make a huge difference to how today’s game pans out.
“Having Cameron CarterVickers back in defence is a huge boost and McGregor will get the captain’s armband back again after recovering from his Achilles injury.
“I like the look of Maik Nawrocki and I’d rather see him alongside Carter-Vickers in the centre with Liam Scales moving to left-back.
“But the biggest plus for Brendan is the way Reo performed at Livingston.”