Ange Postecoglou drops Matt O'Riley Celtic hint as manager works out what's best role for RB Leipzig match

Matt O'Riley could be deployed in a deeper midfield role once again.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou says he is considering keeping Matt O’Riley in a deeper midfield role for the visit of RB Leipzig on Tuesday.

Celtic welcome the German Bundesliga outfit to Glasgow on matchday four of the Champions League knowing that a win is vital if they are to maintain hopes of reaching last 16. However, they will be without their captain and usual deep-lying midfielder Callum McGregor, who is out until at least late December due to a knee injury sustained in Leipzig last week.

Postecoglou compensated for the absence of McGregor, who is also his captain, but dropping attacking midfielder O’Riley further back in the 2-1 league win over St Johnstone and that tactic remains an options for the Australian manager, as well as selecting more defensive midfielders such as Aaron Mooy, James McCarthy and Oliver Abildgaard, who all came off the bench in Perth.

“He is an option there for sure, I thought he did well at the weekend,” Postecoglou said of O’Riley. “We have obviously got two or three options that can play there. It’s more about just seeing how the guys pull up.

“I thought at the weekend Matt and Reo and Haksabanovic looked good as a threesome.

“I guess with Callum, he is one that has that experience at this level and he knows what’s required to win a game even at Champions League level and international level.

“He is used to that environment, he thrives in it, and you can’t replace that because that you can only learn by experiencing it.

“That’s where we are going to have to get other guys to take a leg forward and show that experience that maybe doesn’t exist right now in that kind of environment.

“In terms of our style of play, I still think we have players within the group that can compensate for missing Callum.”