Celtic await Johnston scan after 2-1 Hibernian win restores four-point lead

Celtic are waiting to establish the extent of Alistair Johnston's latest fitness problem after the defender's return to action ended early in a 2-1 victory at Hibernian. Manager Martin O'Neill told BBC Scotland that the Canada international would need a scan, with neither the player nor the club doctor yet certain about what had happened. The win restored Celtic's four-point advantage at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Watch the highlights:

Johnston, 28, played only 21 minutes after coming off the bench at Easter Road. According to BBC Sport's report, the right-back missed most of last season because of hamstring problems and had been unavailable since early August following a recurrence. O'Neill said Johnston had experienced another sensation of discomfort, but did not confirm a fresh hamstring injury or offer a timetable for his return.

The manager explained that previous hamstring trouble could make a player concerned about any new niggle. His comments left the medical position unresolved pending further assessment. Johnston's brief appearance therefore ended without the clarity Celtic had sought on his fitness, even as the team secured its ninth league victory from 10 matches this season.

There was better news concerning Cameron Carter-Vickers, who replaced Johnston and played the final 17 minutes. The United States centre-back had been out since mid-September. O'Neill said he appeared to have completed the match without problems and welcomed the return of important members of his squad, stressing that Celtic needed their players available again.

Camilo Duran scored the winning goal after Jason Kerr had brought Hibernian level. The result followed Celtic's 2-1 home defeat by Celta Vigo in the Europa League on Thursday. O'Neill praised his side's response to that setback, the conditions and the difficulty of the away fixture, describing the victory as their best of the season in those circumstances despite acknowledging that the performance itself had not been especially strong.

Celtic next host Dundee United on Wednesday, with three further fixtures to follow before the international break. Their league lead has been re-established, but Johnston's availability remains uncertain. O'Neill's immediate assessment offered encouragement over Carter-Vickers while leaving the right-back's condition dependent on the forthcoming scan.