It wasn’t much of a shock when Brendan Rodgers announced on Friday that Alistair Johnston would miss Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie against St Mirren due to a nasty knock he suffered at Easter Road.
Alistair had to be stretchered off early during the match following a late challenge by a Hibs player, which resulted in a heavy collision with the side of Alistair’s head.
Johnston, known for his strong desire to push through adversity, was visibly shaken by the impact to his head, forcing Anthony Ralston to step in. Ralston, the Scottish defender, performed impressively in Alistair’s stead and is set to start in the upcoming match against St Mirren.
Regarding Alistair’s condition, the right-back has had a scan to assess the injury’s severity. Brendan Rodgers mentioned the possibility of a fracture on the side of his head. When asked about the timeframe for Alistair’s return, Rodgers admitted uncertainty until the scan results are analysed. [Celtic Youtube]
Here’s hoping for a swift recovery for Alistair.
The culprit who headbutted Johnston should have got a straight Red. The referees are supposed to safeguard players when playing. This highlights the total lack of safety for players from the refs. Laziness is very apparent in our game. Did the oik mean to headbutt Johnston? YES, and the refs ignored the challenge.