Celtic’s Premiership opener brought a 1-0 win over St Mirren, but Brendan Rodgers will be worried after Kieran Tierney limped off early in the second half.
Tierney started brightly on his Parkhead return, driving forward from left‑back and trying his luck with a couple of efforts from distance. His energy down the flank gave Celtic an extra threat in the first half, and the home support responded to his attacking intent.
However, just minutes into the second half, Tierney pulled up after chasing a ball down the touchline. After a brief discussion with the physio, he signalled he couldn’t continue and was replaced. Liam Scales, who had started at centre‑back, moved over to left‑back, with Auston Trusty coming on to partner Cameron Carter‑Vickers in central defence.
The change disrupted Celtic’s rhythm and left them looking less balanced at the back. While Scales coped well in the circumstances, his shift to full‑back limited Celtic’s ability to push forward on that side.
Tierney’s injury will be a concern given his history with fitness problems. The 28‑year‑old has missed long spells in recent seasons, and Rodgers will hope this latest setback is nothing serious. Celtic face a busy schedule in the coming weeks, with league fixtures and European qualifiers on the horizon, so losing a player of Tierney’s quality would be a major blow.
Tierney’s early exit came on a day when Celtic were made to work hard for the points. The champions found St Mirren difficult to break down and relied on a late deflected strike from substitute Luke McCowan to secure the win.
While the result was positive, the injury highlighted a bigger issue. Celtic are still short in a few key positions, and without further signings, they risk being stretched thin as the season progresses.
Left‑back in particular remains an area that needs strengthening to avoid afternoons like this becoming a regular problem.
