Martin O'Neill has suggested a key duo could be back for Wednesday night's clash with St Johnstone, but whether they are worth risking is another question entirely.
Celtic have been working without striker Kasper Hogh and left-back Kieran Tierney of late, with both players having been dealing with injuries. The Hoops have managed well without them, with Camilo Duran playing in his more natural central role in the absence of Hogh, and readily finding the net, while centre-back Liam Scales has covered at left-back.
Scales has done well, but it is true that the solution of playing him on the left is far less risky in the Premiership compared to the Europa League, where Celtic are likely to come up against more dangerous wingers and need more attacking output from their full-backs.
Fortunately, it looks as though Tierney will be back for next Thursday's Europa League opener for Ferencvaros, but there are ongoing questions, with the only other natural left-back, Landon Emenalo, not registered for the European squad, leaving only Scales as a back-up, and Tierney is rather injury-prone.
In the immediate term, O'Neill has offered an update on Hogh and Tierney, who could yet play as soon as Wednesday night, against St Johnstone.
“We’ve got Kasper (Hogh) back the last couple of days and Kieran (Tierney) did a little bit of work with us, so we’ll have a look to see how they are," O'Neill told Sky Sports. "We’ve got a couple of other fitness issues with players, but will try to go as strongly as we possibly can."
Should Celtic risk their key duo?
While both players may end up being available, Celtic would be silly to risk either one of them, at least as starters. Reading between the lines of O'Neill's comments, it seems unlikely he will start Hogh or Tierney if they are fit, and that is wise.
After this game, Celtic finish their hectic schedule of 10 games in 37 games with a cup clash with Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday, a Europa League opener with Ferencvaros on Thursday night and then a league clash with Rangers at home next weekend.
There are tougher and more important games to come, and with what we have seen in the absence of Hogh and Tierney, Celtic are going to get on fine without them against St Johnstone, or at least they are likely to.
The Bhoys may not be able to say that of the Rangers and Ferencvaros games, so they would be wise to keep both players fit for those games.
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