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Celtic reveal Callum McGregor’s injury timeline and offer Adam Idah with an update following red card tackle

Published

1 month ago

October 27, 2024

Kelvin

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is hoping Callum McGregor will be healthy for Saturday’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Aberdeen, after the skipper missed the 3-0 win over Motherwell due to a thigh issue.

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McGregor was absent for the first time this season, but the defending champions were able to return to the top of the William Hill Premiership standings with goals from Luke McCowan, Alistair Johnston, and substitute Adam Idah

“It shouldn’t be too serious,” Rodgers said of McGregor’s injury. “I got the call late last night, and with the number of games he’s played over the years, I think it was really sensible as well. It was really mature, because maybe before he might not have mentioned it. He had a wee feeling after the training session yesterday. And then I got to find out, and we said let’s see how he is in the morning.

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“Rather than take any risk with it, we didn’t want to put him on to maybe stretch it and then be out for a number of weeks. So, hopefully he’ll be fine over these next few days, and if not Wednesday, then hopefully he should be fine for next weekend. ”

The victory lifted Celtic back above Aberdeen on goal difference at the top of the table, and Rodgers was pleased with his team’s performance following a gruelling Champions League effort in a 0-0 draw against Atalanta in midweek. The Celtic manager made four changes and gave McCowan his first start, and he impressed with his 27th-minute opener, his fifth goal of the season and second in Celtic colours since his £1 million deadline day move from Dundee.

“I’m so happy for him,” Rodgers said. “As a Celtic supporter coming in, maybe there’s that enthusiasm first of all, but then that wears off. But he performs with great energy, a great passion for the game, and he has quality. Callum obviously wasn’t going to play, so the idea was to bring him in because he’s a goal threat, and I thought he was going to do really well.

“I’ve told all the players that they all have a role to play: don’t ever think it’s just about the XI, because with how we work, and with the number of games, the energy we have to put into games, they all know they have a big contribution to make.

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“We were able to rest Arne [Engels], who’s come in as a young player and played so many games, the distance he covered in midweek was huge. Having the ability to be able to do that, I’m obviously very grateful to the club for getting the players in that allows us to do that.”

Celtic won in the second half thanks to goals from Johnston and Idah, while Motherwell were reduced to ten men in stoppage time after defender Liam Gordon was sent off for catching Idah on the ankle with his studs. Referee David Dickinson initially issued a yellow card but later escalated it to a red after being sent to the VAR monitor.

The challenge left Idah hobbling significantly, but Rodgers refrained to criticise the ‘Well centre-back while providing an update on the Republic of Ireland striker’s condition.

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Motherwell defender Liam Gordon tackles Celtic striker Adam Idah which resulted in a red card after a VAR check. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

“To be fair to the player, I don’t think he’s tried to do him,” Rodgers said. “The problem is when you leave the ground and he’s just rocked his ankle a bit. Adam couldn’t feel it initially. But then he was okay – obviously the goal helped. He’ll probably have a wee bit of swelling, I would say.”