Martin O'Neill confirms Celtic star will miss Hearts and Celta Vigo

Martin O'Neill has ruled Cameron Carter-Vickers out for Sunday's Premiership clash with Hearts. The defender has missed the last two games due to a muscular strain, and it was hoped he could return this weekend.

But Celtic will remain without arguably their best-performing centre-back so far this season for the Hearts game.

O'Neill confirmed to Sky Sports from Lennoxtown: "No, I don't expect that. I think next week, the Hibs game, is the earliest we will probably see him."

Dane Murray has been the main deputy over the last two games, with Liam Scales starting over the weekend then Auston Trusty starting against Benfica.

It's likely Murray will remain in the centre-back role alongside Trusty due to the fact Liam Scales could play on the left. Kieran Tierney is available, but this would be his third game in a week, and Celtic play again on Thursday in what is effectively a must-win Europa League clash against Celta Vigo.

It would be wise for O'Neill to rest Tierney here to make sure he is available on Thursday night, especially with Scales playing well currently and with Landon Emenalo now back available after a lengthy spell out through injury.

Jordan Lotomba has also come on at left-back despite being a right-back, but he is not likely to start in that position.

Celtic should have enough to get past this Hearts side, which is not at the standard of last season's Jambos outfit, but the bigger concern will be that Celta clash on Thursday night. Being without Carter-Vickers for that game is far from ideal, with the seemingly evergreen Iago Aspas always a danger.

Fortunately for Celtic, it looks as though the towering Borja Iglesias will miss the game with a hamstring injury. The Bhoys effectively have to win that game, currently on zero points from their first two games.