Celtic training: Young duo put through paces with depleted first-team squad ahead of Hibs clash
With the Hoops potentially missing up to 14 first-team players ahead of Wednesday night’s clash with Hibs at Celtic Park, young duo Karamoko Dembele and Armstrong Oko-Flex were seen training with the first-team squad.
Vakoun Issouf Bayo was also put through his paces, although whether the former Dunajska Streda striker will come into contention for Wednesday night’s Ladbrokes Premiership meeting remains to be seen.
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Hide AdCeltic will definitely be without Filip Benkovic, Eboue Kouassi, Tom Rogic, Anthony Ralston and Leigh Griffiths, while defender Kristoffer Ajer is suspended after his red card in Sunday’s 2-0 win at St Johnstone.
On top of that, Mikael Lustig was replaced at half time with an Achilles problem, while Odsonne Edouard was stretchered off after taking a sore one in a challenge with Saints’ Joe Shaughnessy.
More worrying for Celtic is James Forrest’s fitness, after the winger was forced off with a hamstring injury towards the end of Sunday’s match.
Speaking on Monday, Hoops assistant boss Chris Davies said: “James is having a scan on his hamstring. It’s nothing we hope is too severe.
“He did the right thing identifying it yesterday, he could have played on, but he didn’t. He could be out for a while, but we’ll assess that.
“Kieran Tierney was training on his own today, he is building his rehab steadily. Olivier Ntcham trained, Dedryck Boyata trained, Odsonne Edouard had a bad knock yesterday, and we’ll see how he feels.
“[The team is] as stretched as it’s been. We’ve got a good team of injuries and suspensions – 4-4-2, we could fit them all in. It’s rare to have so many injuries, but we do have a strength in depth in this squad.”
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Hide AdWith Ajer suspended, Benkovic sidelined and Boyata a doubt, Celtic could be down to the bare bones in defence, with Jack Hendry and Jozo Simunovic the only fit senior centre-backs.
Davies continued: “We can put out a team that’s full of quality players. [Nir] Bitton can play centre-half, we’ve got Jack, we’ve got Dedryck training today. We have to assess our next 24 hours and make a judgement on the team for Wednesday.”