Scott Brown has pointed to Arne Engels’ injury as a reason for the pressure being placed on Callum McGregor in recent weeks.
McGregor has been playing through a knock in recent weeks, starting matches but not always seeing them out. That was clear again in the win over St Mirren, where he came off as the game started to slip away from Celtic.
At the same time, Engels has only just made his return after time out. The midfielder came off the bench against St Mirren, his first appearance since February, and dropped into a deeper role late on.
That timing matters. With Engels missing, Celtic have had fewer options in midfield, which has left McGregor having to keep going even when not fully fit
Brown said: (Daily Record), “There were times when he (Callum McGregor) maybe wasn’t fully fit but he would still make himself available. That’s what you want from a team-mate – you need your best players out there on the park for as long as they can be.
“Obviously he didn’t last the whole game on Saturday, but even if you get 60 or 70 minutes out of him then you can try to get the game won in that time.
“You’ve got to remember Arne Engels has had injury issues as well but Cal’s the one who is there – even though he’s injured, he still makes himself available. That shows his will to go that extra yard more than anyone else.”
Brown’s point matches what has been happening on the pitch. Without Engels, Celtic have missed that extra mobility in midfield. McGregor has had to cover ground, set the tempo, and deal with pressure, often without the support that would normally ease that load.
Engels brings something different. He covers more ground and drives the ball forward, which allows McGregor to focus more on controlling the game rather than doing everything himself.
There is also the question of balance. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has played deeper at times, but he does not move the same way, which changes how Celtic function in that area.
With Engels back, there is now another option to share that responsibility. Whether he is ready to start is still unclear, but his return gives Celtic a different shape in midfield.
For McGregor, that could mean fewer 90 minutes and more control when it matters, especially with big games still ahead.
