Celtic are back in action this weekend with one of their biggest games of the season in the latest Old Firm derby.
A win for the Hoops will see them open a six-point gap at the top of the Premiership, putting them in a good position to secure the title under Ange Postecoglou.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s clash at Ibrox, it seems as though the Bhoys have been handed a major boost regarding the fitness of one of their key players.
What’s the news?
Speaking ahead of the showdown against Rangers in his latest press conference, Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou revealed that striker Kyogo Furuhashi will be available to play after being out of action since December with a hamstring injury.
Since arriving at Parkhead from Vissel Kobe last summer, the 27-year-old has made 26 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions, scoring 16 goals and providing five assists in the process.
To further highlight the Japanese star’s attacking prowess, out of the 31 shots he has had on goal in the Premiership, 17 of them have been on target, with a shot-on-target average of 54.8%, higher than any other Celtic player to have had more than one attempt at goal.
Taking this into account, it’s safe to say that having the attacker back available will not only be a massive boost for Postecoglou and his chances of seeing his side beat Rangers, but also carry on and pick up more wins in the league to potentially fire them to the title.
While it will be great to have Furuhashi back, the 56-year-old will have a decision to make over whether or not the striker gets any minutes on Sunday.
Given how long he has been out of action, it would seem risky to play the Japan international from the start in such a big game against opponents who will be desperate to stop the Hoops from having any sort of grip on the match.
Therefore, it could be wise for Postecoglou to keep Furuhashi on the bench for starters and then potentially bring him on at some point in the second half if he is needed, so as to not risk him picking up another injury.
Either way, the Hoops boss must be buzzing to have this decision to make for Sunday’s pivotal clash.
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