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Baur, Johnston, Trusty: Latest on Celtic's unavailable players going into international break

The Bhoys are in a pretty good place in terms of injuries
ByJamie Kemble
Baur has an ankle issue
Baur has an ankle issue | Steve Welsh - PA Images/GettyImages

Celtic now enter the international break after Sunday's narrow win over Kilmarnock, which made it back-to-back wins across all competitions.

The Bhoys now have two weeks until their next game, and they might need it after losing a player to injury in the dying moments against Killie.

Here we take a look at the injured and unavailable players at Parkhead heading into the break.

Alistair Johnston

Johnston recently returned only to pick up a fresh issue with his hamstring, meaning more weeks out. But the Canadian should be back after the break if his return goes to plan.

O'Neill said in his last update when asked if Johnston was targeting a return after the break: “That’s what we’re hoping for, really.

“Naturally, a disappointment, really, because even the length of time that he was on the field, which was not long, he looked commanding again.

“He’s been a big miss and he’s been a big miss last season as well too to the team, even though we eventually got through essentially without his services for long periods of time. Of course, Carter-Vickers has missed the whole season. But back to Alistair, yeah, we’re hoping that it’s not as serious, you know. And so the medical team are pretty happy with it.”

Mika Baur

A fresh blow, Baur picked up an ankle injury during the win over Kilmarnock and was forced off with five minutes to go.

After the game, O'Neill said: "Tim is telling me it might be a heavy ankle sprain, but it's too early to say."

Ankle sprains vary very widely. The midfielder is set for a scan to assess the damage.

Auston Trusty

This isn't injury-related. Trusty recently lost his father and was given time off to deal with it, as well as attend his father's celebration of life. It's expected the defender will return after the international break, but there has not been any confirmation.

O'Neill said recently: "Trusty asked me for some time [off]. Even if it's a celebration [of his late father’s life], it doesn't matter. The father's been in poor health for quite some considerable time.

"And I know there was a stage where he thought that he wasn't going to see it through. But I'm with Trusty the whole way there. Because I wouldn't want anybody to tell me that I had to grieve over a brother or sister dying. And I've had that.

"He's 28 years of age. And he's taken it badly. Honestly. I've afforded him all the time he wants. At some stage, obviously, he'll be coming back."

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