EUROPA League matchwinner Mohamed Elyounoussi hopes to give Neil Lennon a selection headache.
The Norwegian international left-sided forward came off the substitutes’ bench for an ineffectual Odsonne Edouard to clip in the last-gasp goal that down FC Riga in Latvia during the week.
It was the fourth successive game Elyounoussi had started on the bench – and now he hopes he has shown his manager he is worthy of a place in his line-up at kick-off.
Hibs are due at Parkhead tomorrow afternoon for another crucial Premiership encounter in the quest for the historic ten in a row and there is Thursday’s Europa League play-off against Sarajevo in Bosnia to overcome.
Twenty-six-year-old Elyounoussi, who is in his second consecutive loan spell at the club from Southampton, is determined to gatecrash Lennon’s first-team formation.
The Morocco-born raider, speaking to the Celtic website, said: “I’m pleased to help the team win the game. That’s what you want as a forward, to create chances and score goals, especially when you’re sitting on the bench watching the game.
“It was a tough game and Riga defended well, so these are the type of games when you want to come on and score.
“Like everyone else, I want to play every game, but when you’re not in the starting eleven, you just want to contribute in any way that you can and I’m just delighted that I could come in and score the goal.”
Elyounoussi added: “Obviously, it has been a little bit challenging that I have been left out and there are two ways to go – either you go around being frustrated or you pick yourself up, take that as a challenge, train hard and show that you deserve to play.
“These games are really tough because every team is going to try and do everything they can to qualify. The game against Riga showed that.
“But it’s all about being patient and we have enough quality, either with the players who started or on the bench, so we need the whole squad. Hopefully, we can score a bit earlier in the next game!”
