Record signing Kasper Hogh is available after injury; Hyun Jun Yang is on international duty with South Korea; Watch St Johnstone vs Celtic on Wednesday night, live on Sky Sports from 7.30pm Celtic manager Martin O’Neill will aim to shape the system around his best players as he ponders how to manage the absence of Hyun-jun Yang and return of Kasper Hogh. Camilo Duran has shone in the centre-forward role in Hogh’s three-game absence with a groin problem. The Colombian netted three times and set up the winner for Yang in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over St Mirren, as well as having a goal controversially disallowed for offside. Duran previously impressed out wide, but arrived at Celtic from Qarabag as a striker.
O’Neill has another current option up front in on-loan Chelsea forward Shim Mheuka, who also had a goal disallowed in Paisley and looked a threat during two substitute appearances. Callum Osmand is also due back from an ankle injury next month and with South Korea winger Yang missing four matches for the Asian Games, O’Neill could be tempted to experiment with the 3-5-2 formation he favoured during his first spell as Hoops manager. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player “We’ve got Kasper back the last couple of days and Kieran (Tierney) did a little bit of work with us, so we’ll have a look to see how they are. We’ve got a couple of other fitness issues with players, but will try to go as strongly as we possibly can,” the 74-year-old said ahead of Wednesday’s game at St Johnstone, live on Sky Sports.
“Whatever we do, when everybody is absolutely fit, then it’s a matter of trying to get your best players on the field.”Mheuka, 18, looks set to stake a claim. “I expect decent things of Shim,” O’Neill said. “I expect him to do well. “He’s just getting to know the players.
He’s getting to know what’s expected of him in terms of style of play, what we do with the ball and what we do without it. “It’s essentially what he does with the ball that will determine not only his time here, but his future in the game and he looks a player. “We definitely have got better options up front than we had last season.” England youth international Mheuka has arrived in Glasgow determined to make an impact. “I’m just focused on playing and training, trying to get into that team and come on and make an impact whenever I can,” he said.
“When you come on, in your mind, you want to try and take that one opportunity that might come to you. “It’s just about staying positive whenever you can, always believe in putting yourself in the right positions and, ultimately, I’ll get chances. “You can’t get anywhere without self-belief. We’re all in positions where you want to be because of how confident we are in our abilities and how much we believe in ourselves.” Simo Valakari’s Saints have won their opening two home Premiership games.
“It’s nice to see really talented young managers doing well,” O’Neill said. “They want to play football and they’re committed. There’s a vitality about them which is very, very encouraging. Not dissimilar in many aspects to what Craig McLeish is doing at St Mirren.” Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m!
