Skipper Scott Brown returns from suspension as Celtic host Partick Thistle
Skipper Scott Brown returns from suspension for Celtic's Ladbrokes Premiership game with Partick Thistle on Tuesday night.
The Hoops midfielder missed the 2-1 home win over Dundee on Saturday after going through the disciplinary points threshold.
Boss Brendan Rodgers will assess midfielder Tom Rogic, who stayed in at the interval with an ankle knock, while winger James Forrest (hamstring) and left-back Kieran Tierney (ankle) remain sidelined.
Celtic fans should expect to see some potential stars of the future involved against Partick, according to Rodgers.
The champions are in the middle of a punishing nine-game December schedule but their victory over Dundee on Saturday took them back 11 points clear of Rangers at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership, and they have two games in hand over the Ibrox men.
With such a commanding lead on the back of a 20-game unbeaten domestic run, the Northern Irishman is ready to draft in some of his Under-20 squad for the visit of basement boys Jags.
Rodgers revealed a number of the academy players have been training with the first team and "doing very well", although he refused to give names.
Forward Jack Aitchison became Celtic's youngest ever player and the Parkhead club's youngest ever scorer when he came off the bench at the age of 16 to notch in the 7-0 home win over Motherwell at the end of last season, under former boss Ronny Deila.
Defender Anthony Ralston also made his debut under the Norwegian and the 18-year-old came off the bench against Motherwell in the Betfred Cup in August.
Rodgers said: "I can have a look at my squad and see if there are any younger players who can come in.
"My job fundamentally coming here was to win trophies, to play attacking football the Celtic way and to bring young players through.
"So we will look to see if there are any young players we can maybe look at over the next few games.
"This is what building a club is about, creating the hope for the youth players otherwise if they don't think they can play, then why should you have an academy?
"We have to develop young players here. That is how I have always worked but they have to be ready.
"Not totally ready of course but they need to show the ingredients, that they can come in and play in the first team. That is very important to a big club."
Adam Barton and Danny Devine are both doubts for Partick Thistle after the defenders picked up knocks in the 1-1 Ladbrokes Premiership draw against Hearts at Tynecastle.
Mustapha Dumbuya (Achilles), Ryan Scully (shoulder), Stuart Bannigan and Gary Fraser (both knee) are all still out.
Christie Elliott admits it would be "brilliant" if Thistle ended Celtic's unbeaten domestic record.
"They will obviously keep trying to build the record that they have got as long as possible," he said.
"But it would be brilliant for us to stop that run and hopefully get three points which is more important for us.
"We played well against Hearts and all the lads are confident.
"We were disappointed we didn't take all three points with the chances we created.
"We have to start taking them. If we took them we would probably have won four or five-one.
"But Celtic have been brilliant, they are a very attacking team (and) they create a lot of chances.
"It is one of those games where we have to be solid at the back and the chances we create, take them.
"We know three points are vital in every game now."
Source: PAR
