Celtic won 3-0 away at Dundee in what was a crucial Boxing Day victory. The Hoops dominated the game and got their deserved goals in the second half.
Post-match, manager Brendan Rodgers provided an update on two of his injured stars. Liel Abada and Reo Hatate have been hugely missed in recent weeks but they could be in contention for Saturday’s Glasgow derby.
Rodgers confirmed the Israeli winger trained with the first team on Christmas day: “They could be around it” he said (Football Scotland). “It’s one thing being ready to start, of course. Liel looked really good on the field when he trained. We kept him at home to do another session to build him up. He’ll be brilliant for us for the second part of the season.”
Having the wide man back for the game would be an almighty boost although Johnston’s goals today showed that he can more than contribute.
As well as Abada, getting Japanese internationalist Hatate back in the fold is a priority for Rodgers: “Reo is at a good level, but not a level to start”, he said (Football Scotland). “We’ll see how he goes over these next few days. He’s training hard, working well and it will be like having two new players when we get those two back.”
There are still four days to go before Saturday’s showdown in the east end of Glasgow. Injury concerns in the team mounted after Cameron Carter-Vickers had to be withdrawn at Dens Park, but having Hatate and Abada back in could somewhat soften the blow.
Last season and the one before that, the pair were crucial for The Bhoys. They both have great track records in Glasgow derbies that if they are fit for the weekend, could be built upon.
