Sam Johnstone's unexpected Celtic debut has thrust the on-loan Wolves goalkeeper into contention for a start in the Old Firm derby. The goalkeeper kept a clean sheet in a victory over St Johnstone, a result that leaves the Perth side in the lower half of the Premiership.
Martin O'Neill, the Celtic manager, confirmed the situation after the match. He praised a close-range stop to deny St Johnstone's Josh Cotterill, calling it a fantastic reaction save. O'Neill added that Johnstone has been a fine goalkeeper who is getting up to speed.
Johnstone was among several changes made by O'Neill from the side that narrowly beat St Mirren. The manager said he needed to assess his squad and that Johnstone had done very well. O'Neill also revealed he spoke with first-choice keeper Viljami Sinisalo before selecting Johnstone for the match. The Finnish goalkeeper had been the main choice prior to this fixture.
The defensive reshuffle came as American centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers was a late withdrawal from the squad. Carter-Vickers, who has been a regular in pre-season, was feeling sore but is expected to be fit for the trip to Ibrox. His anticipated return is a boost for Celtic. In attack, record signing Kasper Høgh, who scored a hat-trick earlier in the season but then got injured, failed to score on his return.
For St Johnstone, the narrow defeat continues a mixed start to the campaign. Their recent form has been inconsistent, leaving them in mid-table. They have conceded more goals than they have scored. Manager Oliver Sorensen's main tactical change saw Camilo Duran rested, with the key attacker only introduced late in the game. The team now looks ahead to a home match against Dundee United, a fixture important for both sides in the lower half of the standings.
Celtic's immediate focus is a Premier Sports Cup match away to Rangers at Ibrox, a potential baptism of fire for Johnstone if selected. For St Johnstone, the focus turns to halting their inconsistent form. The squad will need to find more cutting edge after failing to score against Celtic. The next opportunity comes against Dundee United at McDiarmid Park.
