Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has explained that Alistair Johnston “felt something again” after his substitute appearance in the win over Hibernian was cut short. The Canada right-back’s comeback lasted just 21 minutes at Easter Road before he was replaced.
Alistair Johnston (Credits: BBC Sport)
Johnston, 28, missed most of last season with hamstring issues and had been absent since early August with a recurrence of the injury. His return off the bench in Celtic’s 2-1 victory over Hibs was supposed to be a welcome boost, but it ended early, with Cameron Carter-Vickers replacing him.
Alistair Johnston Injury: What Martin O’Neill Said
“We’re not sure just at this moment,” O’Neill told BBC Scotland. “When you’ve had a couple of hamstring problems, I think that your concern is anything you might feel is a bit of a niggle. I don’t know. He’s not sure, neither is the doctor at this minute. He’ll obviously need a scan and we’ll see how he is.”
The concern is understandable given Johnston’s history. After missing most of last season and then the opening months of this one, any fresh sensation in the same area will be treated with caution until scan results are known.
Celtic Beat Hibernian 2-1 to Restore Four-Point Lead
There was better news elsewhere for O’Neill. Central defender Carter-Vickers came through the final 17 minutes after taking over from Johnston, having been missing since mid-September. “Of course, we need every single body back,” O’Neill said. “He seems to have come through the game OK. Delighted that the big players are back.”
On the pitch, Camilo Duran’s winner followed Jason Kerr’s own-goal leveller as Celtic bounced back from Thursday’s 2-1 home Europa League defeat by Celta Vigo. A ninth Scottish Premiership win out of 10, the victory at Easter Road restored Celtic’s four-point lead at the top of the division. Dundee United visit Celtic Park on Wednesday, with three more fixtures to come before the next international break.
O’Neill called it Celtic’s best win of the season given the circumstances, even if the performance was not at its best. For Johnston, though, the wait for good news continues until his scan results come back.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
