CELTIC will fight to get Ryan Christie cleared for the Old Firm — IF Arsenal cut Kieran Tierney’s 14-day isolation.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta revealed he was “hopeful” the £25million former-Celt would be allowed to come out of quarantine for their game against Man City at the Etihad.
Tierney and Christie aren’t due to leave isolation until next week after they were deemed “close contacts” of Stuart Armstrong who tested positive for Covid-19.
Now Arsenal doctor Gary O’Driscoll is in talks with the Lothian Health Protection Team, the Scottish Government and the SFA.
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Tierney and Hoops attacker Christie were controversially forced to self-isolate for two weeks while at the Scotland camp at the Oriam preparing for the Euro 2021 play-off semi-final against Israel.
The duo tested negative on the eve of the crunch clash but that did not matter to health officials.
Lothian Health chiefs felt their proximity to Southampton midfielder Armstrong — while the trio were in a hotel suite playing PlayStation — was enough to side-line both Christie and Tierney.
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Both Arsenal and Celtic reacted angrily, insisting their players had followed the social distancing guidelines — with the Hoops knowing it ruled Christie out of the Gers showdown.
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Celtic boss Neil Lennon already has Nir Bitton and Hatem Elhamed out through positive tests while on international duty with Israel.
However, the Parkhead gaffer also has worries over Odsonne Edouard.
Mystery still surrounds over the precise return time of talisman Edouard — who has spent the last ten days isolating in France after he too was found to be positive at an Under-21 camp.
Celtic are hoping the frontman can fly back to Glasgow by this evening but there were still fears it could be the early hours of Saturday morning.
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