--- title: "Celtic: Mohamed Elyounoussi out of Hearts game as Jonny Hayes and Mikey Johnston face late checks" canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-mohamed-elyounoussi-out-of-hearts-game-as-jonny-hayes-and-mikey-johnston-face-late-checks/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" author: "Liam Togher" section: "SPFL News" published: "2019-12-18T16:03:29Z" modified: "2019-12-18T16:03:29Z" --- # Celtic: Mohamed Elyounoussi out of Hearts game as Jonny Hayes and Mikey Johnston face late checks **Celtic manager Neil Lennon has had mixed news on the injury front ahead of his team’s Premiership assignment tonight.** As noted by [BBC](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50738355), the Hoops’ boss welcomes back Ryan Christie from a recent knee injury but will again be without winger Mohamed Elyounoussi due to a foot problem. According to [BBC](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50738355), Celtic are also waiting on the fitness of Jonny Hayes and Mikey Johnston ahead of tonight’s match at Hearts, with the duo set to face a further check prior to kick-off to assess their chances of featuring at Tynecastle. ![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png) The return of Christie, Celtic’s [top scorer so far this season with 16 goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/celtic-glasgow/leistungsdaten/verein/371), is certainly a welcome boost for Lennon, although the manager could have a big call to make regarding the left winger position. Elyounoussi had been thriving in that role earlier in the campaign, scoring [six goals in nine appearances on the left flank](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mohamed-elyounoussi/leistungsdaten/spieler/186644) before [injuring his foot in last month’s international break](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/mohamed-elyounoussi-injury-blow-celtic-20887422), a knock from which he has [yet to return](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mohamed-elyounoussi/leistungsdaten/spieler/186644). Johnston is likely to play in that position if he is declared available for tonight’s match, having [lined up on the left multiple times](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mikey-johnston/leistungsdaten/spieler/297257) already this season and bounced back from a [hip and groin injury](https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/17979573.neil-lennon-admits-concern-mikey-johnstons-injury-celtic-winger-remains-sidelined/) in the autumn by [scoring two goals and setting up one](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mikey-johnston/leistungsdaten/spieler/297257). If the 20-year-old isn’t fit, however, Lennon will probably need to turn either to a player who has barely featured this season or one who has been pilloried by numerous Celtic fans. Lewis Morgan, the [left winger](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/lewis-morgan/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/311351) who has [started at centre-forward in recent weeks](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/lewis-morgan/leistungsdaten/spieler/311351), has [scored just twice and set up three goals in 18 games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/lewis-morgan/leistungsdaten/spieler/311351) so far this term and was castigated by a lot of Hoops supporters on Twitter over his recent displays against [Hamilton](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/scottish-premier/celtic/celtic-fans-tear-into-lewis-morgan-over-his-performance-against-hamilton/) and [CFR Cluj](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/scottish-premier/celtic/celtic-fans-tear-into-lewis-morgan-after-defeat-to-cfr-cluj/). Scott Sinclair ended a [two-and-a-half-month absence](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/scott-sinclair/leistungsdaten/spieler/31552) from first team action by being given his [first start of the season on the left flank](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/scott-sinclair/leistungsdaten/spieler/31552) in last week’s defeat to CFR Cluj, a game for which Lennon made [nine changes](https://www.skysports.com/football/cluj-vs-celtic/420562) to his starting line-up. ![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png) If Johnston is available to play, he looks likely to assume the left winger role. If not, though, Lennon could have to gamble on either the much-maligned Morgan or the potentially rusty Sinclair. At least the latter has a fine track record to call upon, with [62 goals in 167 games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/scott-sinclair/leistungsdatenverein/spieler/31552) for Celtic, but his considerable inactivity this season suggests that Lennon does not have much trust in him, as he has just [176 minutes](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/scott-sinclair/leistungsdaten/spieler/31552) under his belt in all competitions this campaign. He may need to swallow his pride tonight and give Sinclair a [first league start of 2019/20](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/scott-sinclair/leistungsdaten/spieler/31552) if Johnston can’t play. ***Celtic fans, how damaging would Johnston’s absence be if he isn’t available tonight? Who would you pick in his place in that instance? Comment below with your views!***