Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is nervously waiting on the fitness of Cameron Carter-Vickers ahead of the visit of Rangers this weekend.
USA international Carter-Vickers, 25, went off in the second half of the Parkhead side’s Scottish Premiership victory over Dundee at Dens Park on Boxing Day.
The former Celtic loan centre-back – who joined the club permanently in a £10m deal from Tottenham Hotspur in 2022 – has been plagued by injury issues all season.
It’s led to major fears that the influential defender will be out for this weekend’s Old Firm clash against Rangers with Brendan Rodgers failing to confirm the player’s situation after the match.
Cameron Carter-Vickers update
Speaking to BBC Sportsound, the Celtic manager explained he was hopeful the centre-back would be available for the final two matches before the January break.
The Parkhead boss also claimed that the defender was taken off as a “precaution” ahead of the controversial Rangers fan-less visit of Philippe Clement’s League Cup winners.
“Hopefully (he’ll be fit),” said Rodgers. “We won’t know for the next couple of days. He just felt a tightness.
“He wanted to play on but the experience with Cameron now is as brave as he is and as much as he wants to get through the game we just have to take him off as a precaution.”
Celtic do have a couple of injury issues heading into the match, with Japanese midfielder Reo Hatate and Israeli winger Liel Abada missing since October and September respectively.
Rangers injury problems mount ahead of Celtic clash
Whilst Celtic fans will be nervously chewing their fingernails over Cameron Carter-Vickers, Rangers boss Philippe Clement will be guffawing in irony at the scale of their problems.
Rangers have held off a series of injury issues – which have plagued the club for the last few seasons – to go on an almighty unbeaten run since the Belgian took charge.
The Gers are in the midst of something of a midfield crisis, with it not yet clear if Jose Cifuentes, John Lundstram or Ryan Jack will be fit for the visit to Celtic Park.
Belgian midfielder Nicolas Raskin and Welsh international Tom Lawrence definitely won’t make the match, with the likes of Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling and even Leon King playing in midfield in recent matches.
Fears also surround stalwart defender Connor Goldson, who went off in the 2-0 win over Motherwell, whilst Ben Davies and Borna Barisic were not included in the squad at all.
At the top of the pitch, Brazilian striker Danilo is recovering from knee surgery and Rangers are once again looking at an injury problem sustained by Kemar Roofe.
So whilst Celtic wait on news about Cameron Carter-Vickers, and chatter continues around the visit of Rangers, the Ibrox club appear better placed to moan about injury issues.
