Celtic have confirmed that Aaron Mooy, David Turnbull and Kyogo Furuhashi are all expected to be fit and available to face Rangers in the League Cup Final.
The Old Firm will go head-to-head for the first silverware of the season at Hampden this weekend with both sides in strong form and something needing to give at the national stadium.
But on the injury front at least one side appears to be doing substantially better than the other with the news that the Celtic trio are set to make the match meaning there are no first-team injury worries at Parkhead.
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has claimed that both Aaron Mooy and David Turnbull were simply not risked for their win over Aberdeen and that there are no issues with late substitute Kyogo Furuhashi.
“Aaron just pulled up a bit sore in training. I thought, he has played a lot for us recently, and I was pretty keen to give [Tomoki] Iwata some game time as well,” said Postecoglou.
“I just thought it was a good one for Aaron to sit out and, talking to the medical team, both him and Turnbull should be training Tuesday and Wednesday when we are in and should be right for the final.
“Kyogo is fine, he is raring to go and looking forward to next week now.”
The news surrounding Aaron Mooy, who once cost Huddersfield a reported £10m to sign from Man City, is considered a sizeable boost to Celtic given the form the Australian is currently in.
Aaron Mooy fit for Celtic as Malik Tillman toils for Rangers
The Celtic injury update is also in stark contrast to that of Rangers and Ibrox manager Michael Beale, who claims that four fresh names are major doubts for the final.
Rangers are already going into the match without Filip Helander, John Souttar, Ridvan Yilmaz, Steven Davis, Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo and now several other first-teamers have joined the list.
Speaking after the weekend’s 3-0 win over Livingston, Rangers boss Michael Beale revealed that there are concerns over Ryan Jack, John Lundstram, Scott Arfield and – perhaps most worryingly – Malik Tillman. Just the ten players then.
“They are big doubts (for next week) because they were not available,” said Beale [Rangers].
“Malik has got a problem with his hamstring, Jacko with his calf and obviously John with his ankle.
“I’m optimistic to think those plus maybe Scott Arfield will return to training at the backend of the week but it will be touch and go.
“What you saw today might be what we have and I was delighted with what I got today.”
There will be questions asked regarding why Rangers seem to always have so many players absent whilst there is a huge contrast at Celtic Park.
Whether it’s the pre-season under Giovanni van Bronckhorst or an insistence in signing injury-prone players, this number is no coincidence and Rangers’ injury issues have had a huge impact on the season.
It quite simply cannot be allowed to happen again or to overlap into the next campaign.
As Celtic confirm Aaron Mooy could be fit for the League Cup Final against Rangers, Ibrox fans will be hoping Michael Beale is bluffing with Malik Tillman.
