‘Like a new signing’ - Hibernian boss provides update on key first-team pair ahead of Celtic trip

Celtic return to Scottish Premiership action this weekend at home to Hibernian. The Hoops go into the clash on the back of their 2-0 defeat at home to RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Ange Postecoglou’s side remain top of the league and are two points above Rangers in the table. They earned a dramatic win last time out away at St Johnstone and will be hoping to build on that against Lee Johnson’s side.

Hibs make the trip to Glasgow in confident mood after their impressive start to the season. The Edinburgh outfit are 3rd in the league and have won five games out of their opening 10.

In terms of injury news for the visitors, they have a couple of decisions to make as they weigh up who to start. Johnson has said, as per a report by the Edinburgh Evening News:

“Demetri Mitchell is training extremely well and looking razor-sharp. He’s almost like a new signing for us. That’s a decision we have to make: is he ready? I haven’t seen him in a 90 minutes since I came to the club but his training standard has been outstanding enough to put that in my mind, that he could be a weapon for us.”

Striker Kevin Nisbet, who has scored 27 goals since his switch to Easter Road, has been out of action so far this term. His manager has provided this update on his situation:

“We’ve got to be careful with Kevin. He’s flying, and well ahead of schedule, but we’ve still got to be careful in our expectations of a) when he returns and b) what we remember of Kevin Nisbet, as opposed to the true Kevin Nisbet.”

Hibs will be a big test for Celtic and Postecoglou will know his side need to perform if they are to pick up another win. They won their last league home clash 2-1 against Motherwell, with Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate getting on the scoresheet.