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Celtic injury tracker as Luis Palma timeline thrown out alongside key Hatate and Carter-Vickers updates
It’s one defender in and one out as the backline shuffle continues at Celtic Park but Rodgers is confident his top stars aren’t too far off returning.
Brendan Rodgers cursed Celtic’s backline injury jinx as Liam Scales became the latest to hit the Parkhead treatment room ahead of tomorrow’s clash with St Johnstone. But the Hoops boss is hopeful he could have a string of top stars back in time for the Old Firm on April 7 – with Cameron Carter-Vickers set to start against Saints.
Rodgers hailed the US international as a defensive rock who “makes every player around him better” as he gave an update on the Hoops’ crock list ahead of the business at the end of the season. Skipper Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Luis Palma remain out on Saturday but are closing in on returns with Rodgers rubbishing Honduran FA claims that Palma could be out for another month meaning he’d miss the trip to Ibrox.
Scales should be back for the first game after the break, against Livingston, despite missing out tomorrow due to a knock picked up in training. Stephen Welsh is set to keep his spot in the backline alongside Carter-Vickers with Maik Nawrocki still sidelined. Rodgers said: “It’s incredible really. You get Cam back and then this happens to Liam. It’s such a pivotal position in the team, especially a team like us who play such a high line and aggressive game.
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“The centre-halves are always key. So it’s just unfortunate. We feared the worst when he did go down but we’ve had the scan and thankfully it’s not as bad. He misses St Johnstone and the internationals but hopefully he’ll be back for Livingston.
“There have been times when we’ve had three centre-halves out. That’s not a normal circumstance.”
Palma missed out on international duty due to a calf knock that saw him sit out the defeat to Hearts and cup win over Livi. But Rodgers shrugged off the Honduran FA’s prognosis and said: “I listen to my own medical team. He’ll miss the St Johnstone game and then will hopefully be available not too long after that.
“Callum McGregor is feeling good but he needs to get some clearance work in over the next week to 10 days and we will assess it for the Livingston game when we get back.
“Reo is not an option, we will look at that after the international break. He’s back in training with the squad now but he still has a bit of work to do and he has a few weeks for his actual football fitness.”
