Youth will get chance, says Strachan

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan says his youth players can help his side through their current injury crisis after the Hoops ground out a 4-2 win over Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League.

Celtic will be without top-scorer Georgios Samaras and fellow forwards Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Chris Killen for at least the next month through injury leaving Strachan with Scott McDonald as his only tried-and-trusted striker.

The Hoops have a hectic schedule coming up with a quarter-final league cup tie away to Kilmarnock on Wednesday before facing Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday then hosting Manchester United in the Champions League on November 5.

Strachan handed Irish teenager Cillian Sheridan his first start for the club in the win against Hibs and the striker rewarded him with a goal.

And the Hoops gaffer says the lack of money in Scottish football and the quality of the youngsters at the Celtic Academy means more and more youth players will be given their chance in his first team.

“I think it is good for youth team coach Willie McStay and the people at the Celtic Academy. And I think it is good for everyone who wants to join Celtic in the future,” Strachan said.

“We don't have the money now so there will be people getting games now if they are good enough.”

The Celtic manager added that the injury crisis currently hitting the club meant he had to throw striker Sheridan into the side before he would have liked due to a lack of match fitness.

“It was maybe a wee bit early for him as I don't think he has even played ten full games of reserve football for us in over a year at the club,” Strachan said.

“We needed to build him up after he joined us. He was raw and he still needs a lot of work as you can see but he can give us some power and threat to go in behind and hold the ball up.

“I like the fact that he is tall and he is the only tall striker we have at the moment.”

On Saturday Celtic stayed three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League after two late goals sealed a 4-2 victory against Hibs.

Earlier in the day Rangers, who have played a game less, drew level on points with their Old Firm rivals after a Kris Boyd double and a Nacho Novo goal secured all three points in a 3-1 win over Hamilton.

At Celtic Park the home side took the lead through McManus after 31 minutes. Shunsuke Nakamura's low corner was missed by John Rankin and the Celtic captain was there to knock the ball home.

Celtic doubled their lead four minutes later when Sheridan scored his first goal for the club. A neat back-heel from Scott McDonald sent the Irishman clear and he slotted home after rounding Yves Ma-Kalambay.

Hibs pulled one back five minutes before the break through Nish. The striker deflected Fletcher's stinging shot from the right wing into the net to bamboozle Boruc.

Hibs equalised through a well worked goal by Fletcher after 49 minutes. Barry Robson, again asked to fill in at left-back, was beaten for pace by Ian Murray and his pass across the box was met by Fletcher who slammed the ball past the helpless Boruc.

Celtic took the lead in the 76th minute when substitute Loovens out-jumped the Hibs defence to power home a header. Maloney's corner found the Dutch defender, on for the injured McManus, who knocked the ball off the post and into the net.

Brown made sure of the points with nine minutes remaining. The midfielder scored for the second game in a row when his left-foot drive from 15 yards beat Ma-Kalambay at his near post.