Celtic Beat Hibs, But Alistair Johnston’s Injury Worry and Sam Johnstone’s Goalkeeping Cannot Be Ignored

Three points are three points, and Celtic getting the job done against Hibs is obviously the most important thing. But can we enjoy a win without being reminded of the same old concerns?

Alistair Johnston was forced off injured again, while Sam Johnstone’s goalkeeping continues to give us serious reasons to worry.

There is a lot to be pleased about when Celtic win, but there are also problems that cannot simply be brushed aside because we have taken all three points.

Johnston’s injury is becoming a real concern.

When Johnston is fit, we know what he brings to this team. He is aggressive, committed, gets forward well and gives us an intensity that is difficult to replace. But how much longer can we keep watching him go off injured and hoping that he will be back in a few weeks?

It is frustrating for the player as much as it is for us. Johnston wants to play, and Celtic need him available. Yet we cannot build our plans around a right-back who keeps finding himself back on the treatment table.

Colby Donovan has shown promise, and I would like to see him given opportunities, but there is a difference between gradually bringing a young player through and suddenly needing him to shoulder the responsibility because our first choice is unavailable again.

This is exactly why squad depth matters. We cannot keep treating injuries as isolated incidents when they repeatedly affect the same positions. Celtic need reliable alternatives, and the recruitment team has to take that into account.

Then there is Sam Johnstone.

I want to be fair here. Goalkeepers make mistakes, and no player should be judged entirely on one afternoon. But the goalkeeping situation is becoming increasingly difficult to defend if the performances continue to fall below the standard Celtic require.

Johnstone has to be giving this defence confidence. Instead, the concerns about his goalkeeping are becoming another talking point after matches that should be about Celtic getting the result.

At Celtic, the goalkeeper is not simply there to stop the occasional shot. He needs to command his box, make the saves we expect him to make and give the defenders in front of him trust in what is happening behind them.

When that confidence is missing, the whole defence can suffer. Every cross, every shot from distance and every moment of pressure becomes another source of anxiety.

And that is not good enough for a club with Celtic’s ambitions.

We need to see a clear improvement. If Johnstone cannot provide the consistency required, then the question has to be asked about whether he should remain the first-choice goalkeeper. That is not personal; it is about standards.

A win does not mean every problem has disappeared.

Beating Hibs matters, and we should take the points. But we have seen enough at Celtic in recent months to know that one positive result does not automatically fix the wider issues.

Johnston’s recurring injury problems need attention, and the goalkeeping situation needs to be addressed honestly. We cannot keep hoping that these concerns will disappear by themselves.

There is still plenty for Celtic to play for, and winning matches gives the team a platform to build on. But if we want to see genuine progress, we need more than results that temporarily quieten the criticism.

We need players we can rely on, a squad capable of dealing with injuries and performances that give supporters confidence.

So yes, enjoy the win over Hibs. Three points are welcome.

But please, Celtic, sort out the problems that keep following us from one match to the next.