For Celtic hero Forrest Lennon hails ‘tiger’ Kayal as ideal midfield stand-in for captain

in the 2-1 win against the Dutch champions. “If Broony’s suspension holds up then I am going to need him,” said Lennon of Kayal.

Referring to the midfielder as a “tiger”, Lennon conceded the player’s performances have fallen short in recent months as he sought to return to the levels reached prior to a serious ankle injury sustained during an Old Firm match in December 2011.

Lennon felt that Kayal appeared to be operating on “instinct” again. “He looked to have that natural feeling when you get when you are out there and I thought he had a brilliant game,” said the manager. “I was delighted with him.”

The Israel international has made only seven starts this season after injuring a groin shortly after the campaign began. Although he was replaced after 67 minutes in Saturday’s clash against Hibs, Lennon retained faith with the player on Tuesday. The player repaid his manager with a powerful display, “glimpses” of which Lennon said he had seen this season. One lastditch tackle, which Kayal made on Viktor Fischer in the first half, was described by Lennon as being “as good as a goal”.

“I wasn’t sure he was going to make it there – the Kayal of three or four months ago would have done, but he has got that extra pace back,” said Lennon. “That was a turning point, that was important. As good as a goal, I felt. He got a bit of luck with his goal but he deserved it.”

The manager added that it was Kayal’s “time” and he has to make the most of the opportunity. “Last season, with [Victor] Wanyama playing so well, and [Joe] Ledley and [Charlie] Mulgrew, competition was pretty fierce,” he said. “Now it’s his time and he has maximised the opportunity.”

Lennon denied that he was ever worried that Celtic had already seen the best of Kayal. “I don’t think you ever lose it,” he said. “Physically you can lose it because injuries take their toll. And maybe that has been a little bit of the case for him.

“But, in pre-season, he started to look like himself then he had a hip injury and a groin injury, which kept him out for a month. The start of his season has been a little disjoined. I felt on Saturday he was starting to look a lot better and that goal [against Ajax] will have given him a massive shot in the arm.

“He is a quiet boy off the field,” Lennon added. “On the field, when he is at his best, he is a tiger. I thought his passing, his football, was good – and his discipline too.”

Kayal’s return to form is also timely considering that Celtic’s options have been further reduced after his compatriot Nir Biton’s red card for a wild lunge on Tuesday night. The midfielder is automatically suspended for next month’s return match with Ajax and could have his ban further extended when Uefa’s control and disciplinary committee sit on 30 October.

“Now Biton looks like he is going to be out for, I don’t know how many games,” said Lennon. “So we need to keep Beram fit.”

Lennon explained again how he prefers to have one rightfooted player and one leftfooted player in the middle of midfield rather than two ‘lefties’. “When you put Joe and Charlie in there it’s a little bit lop-sided,” he said. “I keep on going on about these two lefties in midfield but it is just an imbalance in there that you can get away with with two righties.”

After again proving they can beat one of Europe’s top teams at home, the manager has now challenged Celtic to excel away from home as well. Celtic’s away record in the Champions League has improved but they know that they must take something from the trip to Amsterdam if they wish to progress as group runners-up.

“Now it is really important, if we want to make the top two places, that we pick up something away,” he said.

“In the Nou Camp [v Barcelona on 11 December] that is going to be really difficult but we are really going to look at Amsterdam and think: ‘Can we get something here?’

“I saw enough in the game to suggest that we can. But I also saw enough in the game to suggest that it is going to be really difficult, because they are a very good side.”

Sky Sports 2

Sky Sports 3

Sky Sports 4

British Eurosport

BT Sport 1