Celtic pundit Paul John Dykes has recently talked about the possibility of Odsonne Edouard featuring in the upcoming Old Firm derby.
Dykes was hosting the latest episode of the ‘A Celtic State of Mind’ podcast and the panel discussed multiple issues involving the Bhoys. The upcoming Old Firm derby was the main topic of discussion and Dykes gave his opinion about Edouard’s potential availability for the game. He believes that while the Frenchman will not start the clash, he may be on the bench.
Edouard had tested positive for the virus last week but he had said that he was feeling ‘fine’. He also said that he will ‘come back stronger’ after this setback, though his availability for the top-of-the-table clash remains in doubt.
Will Edouard feature in the Old Firm?
Yes
No
Dykes believes that Edouard could be on the bench against Rangers, but he doesn’t see the Frenchman starting the game.
He said: “I know that Edouard will be back on Friday, but I don’t know if it would be a good idea to throw him into the action. If anything, I reckon he will be on the bench.
“If you’re a footballer and you’ve not played for a couple of weeks, would you probably be better off sitting on the bench if you’ve had this illness? I would suggest, if anything, it will be a substitute appearance for Edouard.”
TIF Thoughts on Dykes’ claim regarding Odsonne Edouard…
Edouard has found the back of the net six times in all competitions this season, including four goals in seven Premiership appearances, picking up one assist (as per Transfermarkt).
He was the club’s Player of the Year last season and finished as the highest scorer in the 2019/20 Premiership campaign. That is a reflection of how vital he is for Celtic, while he has also scored six goals in nine appearances against Rangers.
So keeping all those numbers in mind, having Edouard on the bench for the Old Firm derby will be a boost for Celtic.