‘Massive check’ for Celtic – O’Neillrevealed at 14:56 BST
Celtic v St Mirren (15:00)
Celtic supervisor Martin O’Neill says health considerations round Kelechi Iheanacho is the rationale the striker would not begin this afternoon.
“It’s as much to do with fitness as anything else,” O’Neill stated.
“He came on [last week] and made a big, big difference to us. It was a case of maybe if he started he wouldn’t last the game so Tomas Cvancara stays at centre forward. At least we know of the substitutions we have, they can make a difference as well.
“This is an enormous check for us. We come off a good win towards Dundee. St Mirren are flying excessive, have turned themselves spherical. The video games we have had towards St Mirren have been actually tough however I do not assume I have to pronounce that to the team.
“If I thought I was going to win the game in the 93rd minute I’d take it. Against Dundee we should have scored more goals in the first half, I felt it might come back to haunt us which it did do, but we did remarkably well to stick at it and win the game. Today might be exactly the same. If we have to wait until the 97th minute to win, I’ll take it all day long.
“I felt [at Tannadice] it was the primary time we did not present the true need. We have not had, for some appreciable time, any room for error. We went to Dundee two weeks later and received the three factors, I’m hoping that carries us in to right this moment.”
