Celtic v Ross County preview: Leigh Griffiths available for Scottish Premiership clash
Friday 30 March 2018 15:14, UK
Leigh Griffiths will be available for Celtic after injury as they welcome bottom side Ross County in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.
The striker has been sidelined since the end of January with a calf strain, and the Hoops will look to extend their ten point lead at the top of the table at Celtic Park this weekend.
"He has been training well for the last couple of weeks so he will be available for selection," Rodgers said, "We took our time with it. He has been outside of here as well to get some specialist treatment and importantly he feels good and has looked very good in training.
"He is a very important player for us and to have him back available between now and the end of the season is massive."
Ross County captain Andrew Davies is focused on leaving Celtic Park with confidence intact ahead of two huge home games for the relegation-threatened side.
"You just want to try and stay organised and get anything out of it that you possibly can," he said. "But it's important we play well and get confidence going into the games that we know we can win. So going there and putting in a positive performance is all that should be on the boys' minds.
"The games coming up are massive. In the group we are really confident we can go and get some points against Partick and Hibs, two home games. They are definitely ones I think we can win."
Team news
Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic will serve the second of a two-match suspension while left-back Kieran Tierney is out with a calf problem.
Nir Bitton (knee), Craig Gordon (knee) and Jonny Hayes (broken leg) also remain out.
Jamie Lindsay is ineligible for Ross County's and will have to sit out the game against his parent club after making his comeback from a knee injury against Hamilton before the international break.
Greg Tansey and Chris Eagles (both groin) remain out alongside long-term casualty Sean Kelly.
Opta stats
Celtic are unbeaten in 16 top-flight clashes against Ross County (W11 D5), conceding just eight goals during this period. In fact, Celtic have kept nine clean sheets in their previous 12 matches against the Staggies.
Ross County have never won in the Scottish Premiership at Celtic Park (D3 L6), losing 4-0 on their most recent trip.
Celtic have won just two of their previous five matches in the Scottish Premiership (D2 L1), failing to score in three of those games during this period.
The Staggies have won just one of their last 17 Scottish Premiership matches (D5 L11), conceding 32 goals in the process.
James Forrest is Celtic's top scorer at Celtic Park this season with five, including two braces, one of which came against Ross County in a 4-0 victory back in September.
