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Hearts blow confirmed ahead of match against Celtic

By StevieMac

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 29: A general view of the Stadium prior to the Ladbrokes Premiership match between Heart of Midlothian and St Johnstone at Tynecastle Stadium on September 29, 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 29: A general view of the Stadium prior to the Ladbrokes Premiership match between Heart of Midlothian and St Johnstone at Tynecastle Stadium on September 29, 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images) /
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It is back to domestic football again for Celtic after the international break. Brendan Rodgers will be looking for another three points from a trip to Tynecastle Park. While the Northern Irishman was handed encouraging news on injuries this week, Hearts manager Steven Naismith had the opposite.

Maik Nawrocki has returned to training for Celtic. We haven’t seen much of the young Polish defender since he signed so it will be good to have him available again. With Cameron Carter-Vickers back playing, Nat Phillips fit, Liam Scales playing the best football of his life and Gustaf Laberbielke encouraged by his goal for Sweden, the centre-back options are much stronger now than a few weeks ago.

Rodgers’ most recent fitness update left just Liel Abada and Stephen Welsh as longer-term absences. That gives the Celtic manager a pretty full squad to select his team from at the weekend and plenty of options for places on the bench. Naismith though was adding to his list of players absent.

As reported by Glasgow Times, Craig Gordon and Craig Halkett are back in training after lengthy absences but they are still unavailable for selection. Nathaniel Atkinson, Stephen Kingsley and Barrie McKay are out of action.

Hearts blow confirmed ahead of match against Celtic

Rodgers hopefully will see that as an opportunity to take advantage of rather than one to rest players and experiment with his starting XI. Depending on how the match goes and taking into account those who played for their national teams during the break or travelled long distances, there may be a range of opportunities available as subs later in the game.

Rangers kicked off their Philippe Clement era with a 4-0 win against Hibernian at the weekend. But irrespective of that result, the primary objectives for the Hoops were always to continue the return to form of the team, secure the win and take the three points.

Hearts have been decent this season but not spectacular. An away trip to Tynecastle Park is always a test though.

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