Celtic vs Kilmarnock. Scottish Premiership.
Celtic ParkAttendance54,916.
Wednesday 9 May 2018 20:38, UK
Brendan Rodgers is set to be without two strikers when his Celtic side take on Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday.
Leigh Griffiths is ill, while Odsonne Edouard, on loan from Paris St Germain, has picked up a hamstring injury that is likely to also rule him out of the Scottish Cup final against Motherwell on May 19.
"He'll struggle for next weekend," Rodgers said of Edouard. "It's been unfortunate really for him. He's got better and better as the season has gone on but he's probably going to struggle between now and the end of the season.
"He's adapted very well and you see his qualities. It's a shame for him if he has to miss out as he's been a very important member of our squad."
The Hoops have secured their seventh successive league title and are on their way to unprecedented back-to-back domestic trebles but ahead of Killie's visit, Rodgers revealed his drive for even higher standards at the club.
"What has impressed me since being here is the strategy and the alignment of interest here at Celtic," he said. "The board have done a brilliant job here in ensuring the pillars of the club are very strong. For Celtic, we are defined on what we do, not anyone else. Our measure is ourselves. Can we be the best we can be?
"I'm happy with how the club is developing and improving but we always have to be better, and that's something we will look to do."
Griffiths is set to return to training ahead of Wednesday's game but Rodgers has confirmed this fixture will come too soon.
Nir Bitton (knee) and Jonny Hayes (broken leg) are still out but Rodgers could shuffle his pack with the Hampden showpiece looming.
"We've played 58 competitive games, and when you consider each of those as a cup final then it really demonstrates how well the players have done," Rodgers added.
"We have a couple of games we want to win and hopefully get around the squad and give some game time, so we have as many players as we possibly can fit for the final."
Kilmarnock attacker Jordan Jones has had a groin procedure and will miss the trip to Celtic Park.
Alan Power (calf) and Kirk Broadfoot (quad) remain out and Stephen O'Donnell is extremely doubtful with an Achilles problem.
Innes Cameron (hamstring), Rory McKenzie (knee) and Steven Smith (back) remain on the casualty list.
Celtic have lost just one of their 31 Scottish Premiership fixtures against Killie at Celtic Park (W25 D5), a 2-0 defeat back in October 2012.
However, Kilmarnock ended a run of 16 matches without a victory against Celtic with a 1-0 win the last time the two sides met in the competition.
Celtic are unbeaten in 46 league games on home soil (W36 D10), last suffering defeat at Celtic Park in the league back in December 2015 against Motherwell (2-1).
Following their 11 games unbeaten run between February and April, Killie have now lost three consecutive top-flight games for the first time since August 2017 (run of five straight defeats across two seasons).
Kris Boyd has scored seven of Killie's last 12 away league goals.
