Neil Lennon looks on bright side as injuries ease

By STEPHEN HALLIDAY
Published on 18/11/2012 00:00

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon is optimistic his injury worries will ease in time for Tuesday night’s crucial Champions League showdown with Benfica in Lisbon.

Kris Commons and Georgios Samaras both limped out of yesterday’s 2-0 SPL win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie, a match missed by the already injured quintet of Scott Brown, Joe Ledley, Gary Hooper, Miku and James Forrest.

But ahead of their penultimate Group G fixture in Portugal, where victory would secure qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League, Lennon expects winger Forrest to be his sole absentee as he continues to struggle with the effects of a groin problem.

“Kris picked up a dead leg today, not a hamstring as we first feared, so he should be OK” said Lennon. “With Georgios, it was a bit of fatigue after playing for Greece in midweek. He didn’t really have the power in his legs, but today will have done him the world of good ahead of Tuesday. Brown, Ledley and Hooper will all be in for training again on Sunday, so we are getting some players back. Miku had a wee procedure on Thursday, to tidy up an infection, but he should be OK to travel. But with James, the signs are not good. I don’t know if he’ll travel.”

While Lennon left Pittodrie in buoyant mood after Celtic’s first SPL victory in four attempts, Aberdeen were left only with recriminations after falling flat in front of an impressive attendance in excess of 18,000. “Not enough of us showed up today,” admitted Aberdeen midfielder Isaac Osbourne. “We were at home and Celtic were there for the beating today. We never took advantage of it.”