Blow for Celtic as Patrick Roberts '˜out until new year'

Patrick Roberts will be out of action until sometime in the new year, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has suggested.

The on-loan Manchester City winger came on as a second half substitute during the Betfred Cup final and was named in the starting line-up at Fir Park for the Hoops’ match with Motherwell last night.

But Roberts lasted barely ten minutes before pulling up with a recurrence of the injury sustained against Kilmarnock at the end of October.

He was unable to continue and was replaced by Tom Rogic.

Patrick Roberts takes on Motherwell's Charles Dunne. Picture: SNS Group

And speaking to BBC Radio Scotland post-match, Rodgers said: “We’ll have to look at it with a scan, it was the same hamstring as before so it’s probably not good news for us.”

Roberts is likely to miss the bulk of, if not all, Celtic’s nine matches in December - including next week’s Champions League match with Anderlecht.

While it is another setback for Roberts and Celtic, Rodgers can call on the likes of James Forrest, Jonny Hayes, Mikey Johnston or Odsonne Edouard, who can all play out wide.