Celtic rocked by injury news as three players face issues and update given on Daizen Maeda condition

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is facing injury concerns going into three key fixtures after it was revealed that a trio of first-team players have picked up knocks.

The most serious is for right-back Alistair Johnston, who came off during the first half of Celtic’s goalless draw with Kairat Almaty in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie. The Canadian is expected to miss at least three months with a hamstring tear.

Johnston is not the only concern for Rodgers ahead of Saturday’s Premiership match against Livingston, the trip to Kazakhstan to play Kairat again on Tuesday and the first Old Firm derby of the season against Rangers on August 31. Striker Adam Idah has a knee issue, while centre-half Auston Trusty is suffering from plantar fasciitis.

Alistair Johnston was stretchered off for Celtic during the draw with Kairat Almaty. | SNS Group

Asked to give an update on Johnston during his Friday pre-match press conference, Rodgers said: “Not great. He'll probably be about 12 weeks. He had his scan yesterday. It’s disappointing for him because he's he's come back and started well, but that's that's where we're at.

“When you lose any player, especially of that calibre, then of course is it is a disappointment, but that’ll provide opportunity for someone to to step in. And we know we have Tony [Ralston] and I've got young Colby Donovan who has really impressed me over the the time I've been back here and in this last 12 months he's made great strides.

“It's always an opportunity for someone, but of course for Ali we just want to make sure that we're in a really good position and in all competitions when he gets back.”

Two further injury problems for Celtic

Irish striker Idah, signed for £9 million last summer, has struggled for goals this season and has yet to find the net. He was replaced at the interval against Kairat but is now a doubt for the return leg with a knee issue.

“Adam is struggling with his knee,” said Rodgers. “His availability has been has been very good since he's been here. It's not quite dropping for him yet in terms of the goals, but he is working hard and he is trying to do the right things.

“He doesn't go down easy either. He's had some knocks before and played through them and and put himself out there for the team. We'll see how he responds over the next 24 hours, but I think it could be could be a doubt for tomorrow [Livingston]. It is a shame for him, but he's a strong boy and hopefully if he is out, it won't be for too long.”

Trusty’s plantar fasciitis could be more complicated. “It can be a period of time that one,” said Rodgers. “I’ve had a few players that have had that before and sometimes it can be an operation. You know, it can be a really sore one when you know you're planting the foot and so we normally have to wait and see on those ones. That's my experience of of players having them before.”

Rodgers also revealed that Daizen Maeda was cramping after the Kairat Almaty game and that he has to lean on the Japanese forward more than is ideal.

“We've probably had to use him more than we would have liked,” said Rodgers, “but he's is okay, just a bit stiff and crampy. For the likes of Daizen, he's had to play a little bit more than we we would have liked, but he's still in good condition, good place. But we won't take any risk with him tomorrow if he's still feeling it.”