Celtic's Ryan Christie has confirmed that he will miss Sunday's game against Rangers as he recovers from a hamstring strain, but the playmaker expects to return for the club's pursuit of a third successive treble.
The 24-year-old was injured last month in a controversial win over Motherwell, a game that proved to be Brendan Rodgers' last match in charge of Celtic. Sunday's game will come around too soon for Christie but he is looking to make an impact for the finale of the season.
A win for Celtic would effectively signal the end of the title race with the Parkhead side, currently ten points clear, able to open up a massive lead at the top of the table. But Christie will have to settle for watching the action unfold from the stands.
“Obviously it’s always frustrating getting injured," the midfielder told Celtic TV.
"When you finally overcome the first part and manage to get yourself back out and start running again, it’s always nice.
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"Hopefully I can start trying to get back into a rhythm again and hopefully join training in the next couple of weeks and then really kick on.”
Neil Lennon was quickly put in to steady the ship following the shock news of Rodgers' departure to Leicester at the end of February and Christie explained that the interim manager was quick to seek him out in his first week in the job.
Christie and Lennon have not crossed paths professionally and the Scotland internationalist is looking forward to working with Lennon between now and the end of the season. "He's been brilliant," said Christie. "I think all the boys have agreed with that since he’s come in. He’s just been brilliant for me so far.
"As soon as he came in the door within a couple of days he pulled me aside just to have a chat with me and get to know me a bit and likewise me with him.
"So that was nice and now I’m desperate to get my first taste of playing under him.”
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Christie has been pivotal to Celtic since breaking into the first team back in October in the League Cup win over Hearts at Murrayfield. He has claimed 10 goals and 9 assists for the club so far this season and his absence has been notable in recent weeks as Celtic have toiled at times for energy and creativity in the middle of the park.
Olivier Ntcham and Tom Rogic are believed to have been involved in training this week at Lennoxtown as a season in which the Parkhead side seem to have had perennial injury problems looks to improve a little.
This Sunday's game, though, is one that Christie will have to content himself with watching from the stands.
Lennon has won three and drawn one game since taking over and Christie has found himself an avid armchair supporter.
"The first game I watched was Hibs away in the Scottish Cup and I was back in Inverness watching it," he laughed.
"I found myself kind of screaming at the telly and when Jamesy scored the worldie I was nearly knee sliding on my living room carpet!
"You forget how much you get involved in the game.”
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