Pundit Chris Sutton has told Premier Sports (17/07, 7:25pm) that he thinks Odsonne Edouard now needs to focus on Celtic’s Champions League hopes.
The Bhoys were beaten 1-0 at home by Preston North End on Saturday evening as a Ben Whiteman penalty gave the visitors the win.
That was only a pre-season friendly, but Ange Postecoglou’s men now head into a huge Champions League qualifying clash against Danish side Midtjylland.
This really won’t be an easy clash for Celtic, especially off the back of a flat pre-season display, and the scale of the task facing Postecoglou may now be dawning on him.
Postecoglou now faces some selection decisions; does he throw new signing Liel Abada into the side? Does Tom Rogic earn a start?
The same goes for Odsonne Edouard, who did come on against Preston.
The striker may have expected to be gone by now, but no club has managed to sign the Frenchman, meaning he is available for selection.
Pundit Sutton has now suggested that Edouard must start against Midtjylland, urging him to ‘do the same’ as Virgil van Dijk did in 2015.
Van Dijk ended up leaving Celtic that summer but still turned out for Celtic and helped them reach the Champions League, with Sutton now hoping Edouard copies the Liverpool star.
“Odsonne Edouard, for me, has to start on Tuesday night,” said Sutton.
“I know he may be on his way, but in previous seasons Van Dijk got Celtic through to the Champions League group stages, Edouard needs to do the same. He’s going to be off eventually, but you have to play him.”
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