Celtic captain Scott Brown ruled out of action for up to three months

Celtic captain Scott Brown has been ruled out of action for two to three months with a knee injury.

Brown suffered the injury in the warm-up to the Hoops 2-1 League Cup victory over Hearts at Tynecastle on October 28 and had been sidelined until returning last weekend.

The Scotland skipper, who was forced to sit out four matches, picked up a knock towards the end of the 0-0 draw with Kilmarnock on Saturday and manager Ronny Deila is now resigned to losing the influential midfielder until well into the new year.

Speaking ahead of Thursday's Europa League tie against Ajax at Celtic Park, the Norwegian revealed the injury was completely separate to the one which had ruled him out for almost a month.

"It has nothing to do with the previous one," he said. "It was very unfortunate in a challenge near the end of the game. He twisted it and got an injury on the outside ligament.

"We hope that an operation is not necessary, we are waiting for the experts to look at the pictures so we can be even more sure what to do, if it is going to be an operation or not.

"It is always tough to lose your captain, but having said that we have done that before and the last period he was out we won a lot of games. It gives other players more responsibility." 

Deila, who also revealed that fellow-midfielder Kris Commons would miss the match against the Dutch champions through 'illness and injury', has hinted that former Hibernian star Scott Allan may start on Thursday.

Regulars Stefan Johansen and Nir Bitton are suspended, forcing Deila into a major reshuffle in the middle of the park.

"Scott came on at the weekend, is getting closer to the team and he is one who is available to us," added Deila, who has fit-again Charlie Mulgrew available for selection.

Despite the enforced changes, Deila is confident of a positive result from a match Celtic must win to keep alive their hopes of reaching the last 32 for the second successive year.

"Of course it is now more tricky for us. There is going to be big changes in the midfield but we have good players and ones that can fill those roles and put on a good performance," he added. 

"I have in my mind the team. We have to win the game but it's the same for Ajax so this is a big opportunity for us."