Johnny Russell out of Dundee Utd’s Celtic showdown

DUNDEE United player Johnny Russell is out of their Scottish Cup semi-final showdown with Celtic.

The striker has fractured his fibula so will be missing when Jackie McNamara’s men go head-to-head with the Parkhead outfit at Hampden on Sunday, 14 April for a place in the showpiece final.

Russell was sidelined as United defeated city rivals Dundee 2-1 in Sunday’s quarter-final tie at Dens Park after being taken off in last midweek’s SPL draw with Inverness where the damage was done.

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And the results of a scan on the 22-year-old fans’ favourite have confirmed he’ll be sidelined for between six and eight weeks. It’s a big blow for the Taysiders who are attempting to repeat their 2010 Scottish Cup winning heroics when they went all the way to the final and triumphed 3-0 over Highland rivals Ross County.

Russell has been a key men this season with new manager McNamara singing his praises for his contribution in front of goal since he arrived at 
the club earlier in the New Year.

Russell said: “I’m absolutely gutted. I’ve had the X-ray and I’ve fractured my fibula.”

Should the Tannadice club make it through, then Russell would be fit in time for the final on 26 May. But it looks like a much taller order without the services of their talismanic forward as they try to plot Celtic’s downfall.