---
title: "Celtic: James McCarthy ‘ready to go’ for Livingston clash"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-james-mccarthy-ready-to-go-for-livingston-clash/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Celtic News"
published: "2021-09-19T07:10:36Z"
modified: "2021-09-19T07:10:36Z"
---

# Celtic: James McCarthy ‘ready to go’ for Livingston clash

**Celtic midfielder James McCarthy is ‘ready to go’ against Livingston on Sunday afternoon, [John McGinley](https://twitter.com/jhnmcgnly/status/1439267964386254853?s=21) reports.**

### The Lowdown: McCarthy’s struggles

The 30-year-old, who penned a [four-year](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11787/12371889/celtic-sign-goalkeeper-joe-hart-and-midfielder-james-mccarthy) deal at Parkhead in the summer, hasn’t featured heavily under Ange Postecoglou this season. He has made just [four](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-mccarthy/leistungsdaten/spieler/45333) appearances in green and white, all of which have come from the bench.

He has [reportedly](https://theathletic.co.uk/2827329/2021/09/15/celtic-score-real-betis-europa/?article_source=search&search_query=celtic) ‘struggled’ with the ‘with the pace and intensity’ of Postecoglou’s training sessions, but it appears as if he is good to go against Livingston today.

[Celtic updates!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-13/)

### The Latest: McGinley’s tweet

[McGinley](https://twitter.com/jhnmcgnly/status/1439267964386254853?s=21) took to Twitter on Saturday evening to share updates on McCarthy and Celtic team-mate Giorgos Giakoumakis.

He claimed that the Irish midfielder is ‘ready to go’, while the Greece striker also has a chance of making his first appearance as a Celtic player, tweeting: “Postecoglou says Giorgos Giakoumakis has a chance of featuring tomorrow against Livingston, if he doesn’t, he will definitely be involved against Raith Rovers. James McCarthy is ready to go.”

\[freshpress-quiz id=”368506″\]

### The Verdict: Boost

With Callum McGregor [missing](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11787/12408469/callum-mcgregor-injury-blow-for-celtic-as-captain-set-to-miss-real-betis-clash) the game with Real Betis through injury on Thursday, McCarthy’s availability from the off today is a welcome boost for Postecoglou.

Postecoglou is [optimistic](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/7719613/celtic-postecoglou-plastic-pitch-excuse-livingston/) that the captain may make a swift return, but having McCarthy as another option is good news.

The Irishman has [reportedly](https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/mccarthy-mystery-solved/) been sidelined through a viral infection, but hopefully he can begin to find his feet in the Hoops midfield – possibly starting from today.

***In other news: [‘I’m sure’ – Sky Sports pundit says Desmond will take big Celtic action before January.](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-news/celtic-campbell-tips-hoops-to-make-swift-ceo-appointment/)***