Celtic pair still three weeks off

Celtic boss Tony Mowbray today revealed Scott Brown and Shaun Maloney are three weeks away from a return to full training.

Both have already been out for more than two months and appear to have been missed badly as Celtic have lost top spot in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and have slipped seven points behind Rangers ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm derby.

Brown is still suffering from a troublesome ankle injury on which he had surgery in the summer, while Maloney is recovering from an Achilles problem.

“I’d maybe expect them back in full training in around three weeks,” Mowbray told his club’s official website, www.celticfc.net.

Fellow midfielder Koki Mizuno, who has not featured for more than three months, has already returned to training with Mowbray adding: “On a more positive note, Koki Mizuno has recovered from a knee operation and trained this week.”

Meanwhile, South Korea midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng could make his debut on Sunday, while Darren O’Dea should also be available for selection after ending his loan spell at Reading.