ELYOUNOUSSI SETBACK

MOHAMED ELYOUNOUSSI has suffered an injury setback while on international duty with Norway.

The impressive Celtic forward, who arrived in the summer on loan from Southampton for the season, has hurt a foot in his preparations for his nation’s Euro 2020 double-header.

Elyounoussi is now on his way back to the champions for examinations to determined the extent of the damage.

Norwegian international boss Lars Lagerback, in a report in the Daily Record, said: “Unfortunately, Mohamed has an injured foot and can’t play against the Faroe Islands or Malta.

“He has left the squad and returned to his club.”

Elyounoussi, frozen out at the south coast club after ex-boss Mark Hughes paid £16million to bring him from Swiss outfit Basel in June 2018, has become a key player for Neil Lennon and turned in a Man-of-the-Match performance in the 5-2 Betfred League Cup semi-final triumph over Hibs at the start of the month.

The Moroccan-born frontman could now be a doubt for the silverware shown with Steven Gerrard’s Ibrox side on Sunday December 8.

It’s the second injury blow Lennon has received within 24 hours with the news Israeli international right-back Hatem Abd Elhamed has already been ruled out of the Hampden showpiece with a groin strain sustained in the 2-1 win over Lazio in Rome last week.

The defender could be out for the remainder of the year, as CQN reported earlier today.