Celtic's Johnston Out Until After International Break With Hamstring Injury

Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston has been ruled out until after the upcoming international break due to a "shorter term" hamstring injury, manager Martin O’Neill confirmed.

Johnston, who missed a significant portion of last season with a hamstring problem and suffered a similar injury in August, lasted only 21 minutes on his return to action against Hibernian on Sunday before breaking down again. A scan has revealed the injury is not the same as his previous one and involves a different muscle group.

"He got a scan and it’s not too bad. It’s not the same injury," O’Neill stated. "I think there’s three muscles in the hamstring and it’s one of those, but shorter term for him."

The Canada international is expected to miss upcoming matches against Dundee United, Falkirk, Besiktas, and Kilmarnock. O'Neill added that Johnston is philosophical about the setback and "really happy with what the scan has shown."

Johnston's absence is likely to see Colby Donovan continue to feature regularly at right-back. Donovan, who signed a contract extension with Celtic until the summer of 2031, has made 44 first-team appearances and is available for Wednesday's game against Dundee United.

Donovan, 20, expressed his determination to remain a first-team player despite his extended contract, drawing inspiration from teammates like Kieran Tierney, James Forrest, and Callum McGregor. He recalled the influence of senior players who engaged with academy prospects when he was younger.

"When I was younger, it was just his determination to give everything for the badge, so that’s what I see in his game even now as well, he gives everything for the club," Donovan said of Tierney. "So that’s what I try to put into my game. You might not be having the best of days but you just need to give everything for the club and for the boys, don’t you?"

Donovan, who was first called up to the Scotland squad last month, understands the competitive nature of securing a place at Celtic. "You know how hard it is to come through as a young player," he said. "Sometimes you’ll get your opportunity and maybe it’ll never happen again. It’s about taking that chance and not looking back and that’s what I’ve been doing."