Soccer

Dedryck Boyata back from ban but Leigh Griffiths still out as Celtic head to Dundee

Celtic's Dedryck Boyata (right) and Kyle Lafferty of Rangers playing at the Old Firm encounter on September 2
Celtic's Dedryck Boyata (right) and Kyle Lafferty of Rangers playing at the Old Firm encounter on September 2 Celtic's Dedryck Boyata (right) and Kyle Lafferty of Rangers playing at the Old Firm encounter on September 2

Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata returns from suspension for the Ladbrokes Premiership clash with Dundee at Dens Park on Wednesday night.

Midfielders Eboue Kouassi and Olivier Ntcham will be assessed after coming off with knocks in the Betfred Cup semi-final win over Hearts on Sunday.

Jozo Simunovic, Cristian Gamboa, Scott Brown, Leigh Griffiths and Youssouf Mulumbu remain out with various ailments.

Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers offered Scotland boss Alex McLeish no encouragement by confrming Leigh Griffiths remains unavailable for Celtic.

The Hoops striker has not played since the 6-0 win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park earlier in the month and pulled out of the last Scotland squad for fitness reasons, with a calf injury being a recent concern.

Hearts and Scotland were dealt a blow when striker Steven Naismith was ruled out of the Scots' upcoming Nations League deciders against Albania and Israel after being told he needed knee surgery.

Ahead of the trip to bottom side Dundee in the Ladbrokes Premiership on Wednesday night, Celtic boss Rodgers was asked about the prospects of Griffiths being able to fill that gap when McLeish names his squad early next week.

He said: "I'm not sure at this moment, we just take it day by day.

"It's a blow, Steven Naismith being out for Scotland and for Hearts but we just need to assess that.

"There is not a lot of time, that's the only thing I would say. Certainly if was available he would be nowhere near match fit but we will see over the next few weeks where Leigh is at.

"He was here today, he was in the treatment room with the medical team.

"We have 10 injuries so our medical team are working hard with the players to get them back but there is no timeline on it."

Provisional squad: Gordon, Lustig, Hendry, Simunovic, Boyata, Benkovic, Tierney, Ntcham, Rogic, Kouassi, McGregor, Sinclair, Hayes, Forrest, Edouard, Christie, Izaguirre, Morgan, Ralston, Bain.