Chris Sutton believes that James McCarthy has a big role to play in Celtic’s season.
The midfielder made a brief substitute appearance in the recent win away to Ferencvaros but that was his first outing in five weeks.
McCarthy signed for Celtic on the same day as Joe Hart but while the former England keeper has gone on to play in every minute of 22 matches sign signing, McCarthy is still waiting to play his first full 90 minutes.
Celtic face a gruelling run of 12 matches between November 20 and January 2 with Ange Postecoglou having to maximise his full squad across three competitions.
Reviewing the situation of the former Everton midfielder in the Daily Record, Sutton explains:
McCarthy can still salvage it. He’s only just in the door but playing three games on the spin and staying fit would help. He hasn’t looked mobile when he’s come on and he’ll know it himself.
Celtic signed him on a long-term deal with a big reputation. A boyhood fan. We know what it means to him to play for Celtic, but he needs to show it and this could become a really important period for him if anything happens to McGregor or Turnbull.
Currently on a 13 day break between matches McCarthy can throw himself into an extensive fitness programme while Callum McGregor, David Turnbull and Nir Bitton are on international duty.
McCarthy’s injury record is often dragged up to criticise the 30-year-old but during his two seasons at Crystal Palace he started 26 EPL matches and made 23 substitute appearances which is more football than Tom Rogic (16 starts, 23 substitute appearances) and Bitton (21 starts, 8 substitute appearances) managed over the same period.
