Mulgrew must sit out Hoops’ busy schedule

CHARLIE MULGREW will miss a mighty month of action on four fronts for Celtic after being ruled out for another six weeks with a knee injury.

The Scotland star has been absent since December 3 and suffered a blow while playing for the Under-20 team last week.

‘He played and got a setback and is going to be out for six weeks again, it’s not good,’ said boss Ronny Deila after the 1-0 win over Ross County. ‘It’s almost the same injury, it’s a difficult one to cope with the inflammation. It’s a setback for us and him.’

Mulgrew will miss next week’s League Cup semi-final against Rangers, two rounds of the Scottish Cup if Celtic beat Dundee on February 7, the Europa League showdowns with Inter Milan and the Premiership crunch tie at home to Aberdeen on March 1.

Deila was delighted to survive the trip north with their title bid unharmed, admitting: ‘Ross County defended very well, deep like they did at Celtic Park. We deserved to win though because we had a very good attitude, kept working hard and got our goal. It is pleasing — I love it — and hopefully it will continue. We have everything in our hands.

‘We have to continue to win and, if we do, no one can stop us.’

Deila’s opposite number, Jim McIntyre, could only be consoled by the improved display of his charges after the home defeat to relegation rivals St Mirren.

He said: ‘We were excellent and showed the right reaction to losing that game. It was cruel to lose to a deflected goal.’