Martin O’Neill could be handed a timely lift ahead of Celtic’s first post split Premiership clash with Falkirk, with one of the club’s most promising young players closing in on a return.
There is plenty riding on the run in, and belief inside the dressing room remains strong. Captain Callum McGregor has made that clear, pointing to the resilience the squad has already shown this season despite the disruption.
“I see the Celtic team every day, I see how we train, I see what we’ve overcome already this season in terms of a little bit of adversity, changing manager twice, fought back from where we were, were in a cup final, we’re in another cup final,” he said.
“So I see enough signs that the team want to win, they can do enough to win.
“It’s just about channeling that in the right way. We know that Hearts and Rangers are also good sides, we know that the top six are all good sides, so there’s points to play for.
“I think you have to win all your games if you want to win the league, so everybody’s thinking the same.”
At 32, McGregor is already one of the most decorated players in the club’s history, sitting just behind Bobby Lennox and two trophies shy of James Forrest, who recently extended his stay for another year. The skipper now has his sights set on adding more silverware, starting with a strong finish to the league campaign.
That push begins against a Falkirk side still hurting from their penalty shootout exit in the cup, and Celtic know they will need to be sharp from the start.
Celtic starlet set to return vs Falkirk:
O’Neill, though, looks set to have extra options available. Both Alistair Johnston and young forward Callum Osmand are edging back into contention, offering fresh energy at a crucial point in the season.
Osmand’s return stands out. The 20 year old has been sidelined since October with a hamstring issue, and while his first team minutes have been limited, he has already shown glimpses of what he can bring. His willingness to run in behind and stretch defences gives Celtic a different attacking dimension, something that could prove valuable in tight games.
O’Neill provided an update in his pre match press conference.
“Yeah, Callum and Alistair have been a long, long time out.
“Callum is feeling much, much better with the week that he’s put in. Some days he hasn’t done anything, but he’s come through and he’s been fine.”
Before his injury, Osmand had started to build momentum. He found the net twice in three Challenge Cup outings and added another in the League Cup, continuing the scoring form he had shown during his time in Fulham’s youth setup before moving to Glasgow.
In a title race where fine margins can decide everything, having another attacking option back in the mix is no small thing. O’Neill will not rush him, but there is a growing sense that Osmand could yet have a role to play as Celtic look to get over the line.
