Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper is set to give Celtic a title boost.
Harper suffered shoulder ligament damage against Everton on September 18 and was expected to be out of football for four months.
That injury came just three weeks after Fraser Forster was sent on a season long loan to Celtic with a recall clause inserted allowing the keeper to return to St James Park in January.
Harper’s injury looked like forcing Newcastle to recall Forster early but the 35-year-old keeper is now expected to be back in full training in four weeks time.
Neither of the three parties in the Forster deal wants to cut short the loan but with only the inexperienced Tim Kruhl on their books Newcastle would have recalled the loan Celt in January.
Forster has been an ever present in the Celtic side since making his debut against Motherwell and will play against Rangers on Sunday.
Celtic striker Daryl Murphy will be out for at least a fortnight with an ankle sprain with James Forrest also missing from the derby match.
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