Alistair Johnston 'prolonged' Celtic injury concerns grow after unseen reaction as medical team scrutinised

Johnston limped off after just 21 minutes in his return from a long hamstring injury, raising fresh concerns about his fitness and recovery timeline.

Alistair Johnston's comeback for Celtic ended prematurely when he limped off after 21 minutes against Hibernian, having been sidelined since early August with a hamstring injury. He came on as a substitute in the second half following Colby Donovan's injury but was unable to continue, with Cameron Carter-Vickers replacing him.

This marks a concerning pattern for the right-back, who suffered a similar setback last season when he was substituted after just 26 minutes of a Europa League match against Sturm Graz following what appeared to be a recurrence of the same hamstring problem. Manager Martin O'Neill expressed uncertainty about whether Johnston had re-injured the same area.

Former Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan suggested Johnston's mindset heading into the match may have contributed to the injury, while ex-Rangers coach Neil Lennon questioned the decision to play him at all and scrutinised the medical and fitness team's assessment. Lennon noted that hamstring injuries are notoriously difficult to rehabilitate correctly and warned that a recurrence would be "a real, real worry" for the player. Former Rangers coach Alex Rae defended the medical staff, describing them as vastly experienced and well-regarded.