Ten days after suffering a significant facial injury at Alloa Callum McGregor was the heart-beat of a highly successful Glasgow derby success.
The skipper sat out the wins over Hearts and Dundee United but when crunch time came along he got masked up to drive his team to victory.
Since the Alloa match there has been plenty of speculation over the extent of the injury suffered by the midfielder. With masks now a regular sight it was difficult to gauge the extend of the damage he suffered.
? “I know every single one of them would’ve played with a broken face… so why am I any different?”
Celtic captain Callum McGregor says he owed it to their supporters to play against Rangers with a double cheekbone fracture. pic.twitter.com/9V7p1h5Tqe
— Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (@ClydeSSB) February 3, 2022
In Tuesday’s pre-match media conference Ange Postecoglou dropped the first hint that McGregor was back in contention for the derby. It could have been mind games but all was revealed when the team was announced at 6.30pm.
With a mask looking like an extended set of white glasses there was no holding back. When the ball was in the air he didn’t flinch from heading it. Capping it all he played the full 90 minutes, then led his team-mates in the post-match lap of honour.
Callum you proved beyond doubt that you have got what it takes to be the leader of this famous football family and may it continue !! you stood up to the challenge like a true hero even with an injury !! you lead by example and the players followed your lead !! having said that there was not one player who didn’t perform and I see a young 16-year-old boy full of passion who came on ready to perform to the level that the whole team created. So good to watch and I feel with Angie’s leadership that there is something exciting to come for some years.