Former Celtic goalie Pat Bonner has expressed his concerns over the fitness of Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers ahead of the crucial Glasgow Derby.
Carter-Vickers was substituted during Celtic’s victory over Dundee due to a tight hamstring.
Speaking while on punditry duty for the BBC, Bonner emphasised the importance of Carter-Vickers not just for his defensive abilities but also for his contribution in initiating attacks.
He acknowledged Carter-Vickers’ pace and strength as key assets. Bonner also highlighted potential vulnerabilities in Celtic’s defence, particularly from set-pieces, which Rangers could exploit if Carter-Vickers is unavailable.
Regarding possible replacements, Bonner mentioned Stephen Welsh and Maik Nawrocki as candidates.
Bonner said [BBC], “Carter-Vickers is huge. Not just his defensive qualities but on the ball too. He can start attacks, he’s got pace and he’s strong.
“Are they vulnerable from set-pieces? It’s something Rangers might capitalise on.
“So it will be interesting to see if he’s not going to make it, will it be Welsh or Nawrocki that come in?”
Nat Phillips is another defensive option but he is set to return to Liverpool, making it unlikely for him to feature in the match. Similarly, Gustaf Lagerbielke, who started at Ibrox and kept a clean sheet at the beginning of the season, appears to be out of contention.
This leaves Stephen Welsh as the most probable replacement for Carter-Vickers, and he was the one to replace him on Boxing Day.
