Charlie Nicholas in awe of ‘amazing’ Celtic ace, names club finding life ‘difficult’ without him

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Celtic boss Neil Lennon brought Fraser Forster back to Parkhead on loan but the Hoops risk losing him in January as his parent club struggles.

Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas has praised Celtic man Fraser Forster’s “amazing form” but expressed doubt over his immediate future at Parkhead, believing the Hoops on-loan goalkeeper will be “wondering what’s going on” as parent club Southampton continues to struggle south of the border (Sky Sports News).

Forster has been on the Saints’ books since the summer of 2014, when he left Parkhead for St Mary’s Stadium in a £11.3million deal (Transfemarkt), and has made 125 appearances for the Saints, but fell out of favour under both Mark Hughes and then Ralph Hasenhuttl.

The 31-year-old made just one first-team appearance for Southampton last season, the penultimate game of the 2018-19 Premier League campaign against West Ham, in which he conceded three goals, and his last senior appearance prior to that was on Boxing Day 2017, when the Saints were beaten 5-1 by Tottenham.

However, Forster’s loan switch back to Celtic has proven a new lease of life for his career, with 22 appearances already for Neil Lennon’s side this term, and numerous superb performances and saves, in particular his masterclasses against Lazio at Celtic Park and against Rangers in the Scottish League Cup final.

The problem for both Forster and Celtic is that the player is still on the Saints’ books and, with their Premier League future in serious threat amid a relegation battle, and having conceded the most goals in the English top flight so far, they could well recall him to shore up their back line.

Assessing Southampton’s upcoming game with Aston Villa, Nicholas told Sky Sports News: “At the back, (Southampton) are a bag of nerves and their goalkeeping situation is a difficult one too. Fraser Forster has been amazing for Celtic, particularly in the Scottish League Cup final, so he will be wondering what is going on as well. Who do you pick?”