Celtic boss Martin O'Neill expects midfielder Mika Baur to be available for Sunday's Old Firm clash despite an injury scare.
Baur missed Celtic training on Friday, sparking fears of an injury that could keep him out of Sunday's first derby of the season, which comes in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final.
The German was excellent on Wednesday night, scoring the winner and winning Man of the Match in the eyes of most as Celtic narrowly defeated St Johnstone to protect their perfect league record.
But the Bhoys are in the midst of a schedule that will see them play 10 games in 37 days, and the high demand is going to put players at risk of injury, especially players like Baur, who are starting the vast majority of games.
But the good news is that O'Neill is expecting Baur to make a full recovery ahead of Sunday, and the German is scheduled to train on Saturday as he looks to shake off a small injury in time for the game, which will be his first taste of an Old Firm game.
"No, he's fine," O'Neill confirmed in his pre-match press conference. "He is actually fine. He's just picked up a bit of a knock, but he'll be available to train tomorrow. And, yeah, he's okay."
That will be a huge relief for Celtic fans, who have seen Baur largely impress since his arrival from Paderborn. The German has been getting better and better, with O'Neill getting a better understanding of where he needs to play over recent weeks.
He was initially being asked to play in a deeper role, which didn't really work, but he now has more licence to get on the ball and get up the pitch, and he is thriving playing that kind of role, even if it is a little more risky for Celtic, given it leaves Callum McGregor a little more exposed.
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