adminMartin O’Neill admits Sam Johnstone has thrust himself straight into contention for an Old Firm baptism of fire.
The former England international was handed a surprise debut in Celtic’s hard-fought victory at St Johnstone and impressed by securing a clean sheet.
The on-loan Wolves goalkeeper produced an outstanding point-blank reaction save to prevent Josh Cotterill from breaking the deadlock in the opening half.
Now, the 33-year-old could be selected ahead of Viljami Sinisalo for Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup blockbuster at Ibrox.
O’Neill said: “The save was fantastic. Really, really brilliant reaction save. He’s been a fine goalkeeper. It’s just a matter of getting up to speed with things.
“I think he took a bit of cramp then. A goalkeeper taking cramp, whatever next. But anyway, I think Peter Shilton took cramp way back in 1979 as well too, so I shouldn’t complain.”
Asked if Johnstone has given him a selection headache this weekend, O’Neill said: “Yes, he’s done very, very well indeed. But you need to find out. While I do not want to use games like this, I have to find out about a number of players.
“For instance, Oliver Sorensen started the game tonight. Our main man only came on in the last 10 or 15 minutes. So it does, it gives you food for thought.”
O’Neill revealed he spoke to No.1 Sinisalo before giving Johnstone the gloves.
He said: “Yes, yes. But you need competition for places.
“Yes, I spoke to him, and he’s taken it. We’ll see what happens on Sunday. But we’ve got loads and loads of games, and it is really nice to know that I have actually two really decent goalkeepers.”
Johnstone was one of five alterations to the side that narrowly defeated St Mirren in Paisley on Saturday night, with Camilo Duran rested.
O’Neill was delighted his changed side secured all three points and said: “Well, it is in that aspect. So, Sorensen gets on, Duran doesn’t start for us. He’s just been class. He looked tired in the game against St Mirren.
“But I’m not surprised for the amount of things that he does for us, both with the ball, which is terrific, and also the work that he does off it.
“He’s second only to Daizen Maeda in terms of closing players down. So I wanted to try and see if we could do without him, and the answer is probably not!”
Kasper Hogh failed to find the net once again on his injury comeback, but O’Neill dismissed suggestions that his record signing is short of confidence.
He said: “I think it’s what you do. It’s your overall picture. Of course, centre-forwards, or strikers, they live and die by goals. When he scored the hat-trick against Kilmarnock, he was up and running, which was terrific.
“No, I don’t think that. That was his first time back, really, from the thing that he got in Austria. I thought that he did fine without getting a goal.
“Sometimes it happens, but he’s trying to get into that position, which I thought he did in the second half.”
Meanwhile, O’Neill eased any injury worries surrounding Cameron Carter-Vickers after the USA defender was left out of the matchday squad.
And the experienced boss believes his first-choice centre-back will be fit and available for Ibrox.
He said: “I’m hoping that he would be available, yes, for us. He has hardly missed a minute of pre-season, and also the games. He’s been out for a year, and he was just feeling really sore on Saturday evening.
“I’ve got much time for big Dane Murray. I’ve got a lot of time for him. I think he’s got a proper career. His injuries have curtailed him for a while, but he’s just coming through.
“I think he’s got a really decent future, and things to pick up on. But yes, in terms of Carter-Vickers, he should be okay for Sunday.”
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