Hope for the best with Jonny Hayes
By Nick McAdam
It was hopefully a good Christmas day for Celtic fans. Joy and happiness was spread across Scotland as the holiday finally arrived.
It was the day after Christmas, however, that fans of the Bhoys received a hard blow from reality. Maybe they call it Boxing Day for a reason.
The Celts dominated in the Scottish Premiership again after their contest with Dundee. The opposition seemingly had no chance as the Bhoys continued to fire shots at Dundee for the whole contest.
Celtic did take a bit of a loss however right before the first half ended. Josh Meekings went for a tackle on Jonny Hayes in the center of the park, but the defender missed and made contact with the shin of Hayes.
More from The Celtic Bhoys
- Celtic handed fresh injury doubt before Feyenoord game
- Celtic’s £40.7 million announcement should scare Rangers
- Brendan Rodgers makes superb claim about returning Celtic player
- BBC pundit makes sensational claim about Celtic hero Kyogo
- Kyogo Furuhashi sends clear message to Celtic doubters
Both players stayed down for an extended period of time, which only increased the anxiety of Brendan Rodgers and the rest of Celtic. Moments later, Hayes was taken off the pitch by cart and would stay off for the rest of the contest.
Reports emerged after the game that the Hoops are still waiting for results from Hayes, but the damage seemed rather critical. Dundee boss Neil McCann notes that Meekings is currently on crutches. Rodgers on the other hand, is hoping for the best from Hayes according to BBC Sport.
"“[Hayes] took a really sore clash on the shin, he doesn’t stay down easily,” said Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers after his side’s 2-0 win.“He’ll go for an X-ray but hopefully he’ll be OK. The medical team are saying it might only be bruising on the shin, which is hopefully the case, but we will see what the X-ray says."
The timing of the injury couldn’t be any worse as Celtic host Rangers in the derby this Saturday. Hayes has been a regular for Rodgers in the starting lineup as of late, and his absence can only make the selection more difficult for the most critical contest of the campaign.
It took a portion of time for the 30-year-old to make a solid impact for the Hoops ever since arriving from Aberdeen. Hayes’ stats suggest he hasn’t been lights out for the Bhoys with only a goal and 2 assists.
As of late, however, the Irish native has been really strong on the ball and has been giving the opposition a difficult time. Celtic usually average around 20 shots per game recently, and Hayes has been a huge part of that.
Celtic fans can only hope for the best from Hayes’ X-ray. The collision looked very damaging, so Hayes might be out for the Old Firm. But, that’s only speculation. If Hayes can play against Rangers over the weekend, it will only add to the chances of another victory against Celtic’s long-term rivals.
Next: The Bhoys finally linked with young defender
How crucial has Hayes been to the starting lineup? Do you think he can start against Rangers in the derby? Let us know in the comments below.