Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has admitted that Patrick Roberts could be set for an extended spell on the sidelines with his latest hamstring injury.
Roberts limped off after just 11 minutes as Celtic drew 1-1 with Motherwell on Wednesday evening, and Rodgers fears the worst for the young winger.
The 20-year-old loanee from Manchester City has a history of hamstring complaints, and missed three matches earlier this season with the injury he first suffered in pre-season.
It seems as though Roberts has aggravated that issue once more against Well, although Rodgers insists they need to wait on the full report.
As quoted by the Scottish Sun, Rodgers said: “We’re waiting on the scan but it will most probably be the problem he’s had with his hamstrings before. It’s not ideal. We’re hoping it’s not too serious but we’ll see what the scan says.
“Pat had a couple last year but they were spread out. Had he had it in pre-season, came back and played a bit but then had it again. This is a really unfortunate circumstance but the medical and sports science team are doing their work in looking over the trends.
“They will see whether there’s something mechanical behind it, or whether there’s something the player can do better. So they will investigate that and have a look at it. It’s unfortunate for Pat because he started the game well last night and when he’s in the mood he’s a joy to watch.”
OPINION
Roberts absence will be a big blow for Rodgers, although Celtic absolutely have the squad to deal without him. The bigger worry here is the recurrence of the problem. An injury that is continually compounded like this has the potential to snowball into a bigger issue, and Celtic’s medical team need to get on top of it as soon as possible. As Rodgers alludes to, Roberts is such an exciting player when in full flight, but if his hamstrings are a worry, then his game could be affected. Roberts is so young and can hopefully overcome this issue, as he has the potential to be a brilliant player for Celtic in the future.