Celtic received some bad news as they found out one of their key players in Ryan Christie had to isolate for 14 days. 

The Guardian recently reported that Southampton player Stuart Armstrong has tested positive for Covid whilst preparing for international duty with Scotland. As a result, fellow internationals Kieran Tierney and Christie will now have to isolate as they have been in close contact with the ex-Parkhead midfielder recently.

Former Scottish international Alan Hutton has been discussing his absence and how it will impact Celtic, saying that his absence could be a significant blow for Neil Lennon's side.

What did Hutton have to say about Ryan Christie?

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton said: "You don’t want to see anybody out and not well, it’s a catch-22 a little bit. He’s a fantastic player, I think he brings so much to the Celtic team going forward, he’s that creative spark and he scores goals.

"For Neil Lennon it’s a massive worry, he’s got a few players now with the Covid-19 stuff, it’s not been ideal. Probably out of everybody it’s affecting Celtic more than Rangers with the situation at the moment.

"They’ve got a strong squad, it’s an opportunity for players to prove their worth on the big stage. They’ll have to step up, be counted and really do their best."

Are Hutton's comments about Ryan Christie's short absence right?

Christie has played 107 times for the Hoops, per Transfermarkt, scoring 35 goals and setting up another 33. The attacking midfielder has also won six trophies with the club.

He has been in very good form at the start of the 2020/21 campaign as he has seven assists and three goals in his 13 appearances this term, per Transfermarkt. These figures highlight that Celtic will be deprived of a key attacking asset and, with fixtures coming up against Rangers and AC Milan, this is the last thing Lennon would have wanted.

It is understandable why Hutton believes Christie's absence will impact the Hoops, especially against their table-topping rivals. Hopefully the Bhoys can cope without him, and if they can, they should be in an even better position when he returns.

Celtic fans, how badly will Christie be missed on Saturday? Comment below with your views!