Celtic have endured a difficult campaign and Sutton believes the league is over
Chris Sutton believes Leigh Griffiths’ lack of fitness has played a key role in allowing Rangers to win this season’s title.
Although there is plenty of football left to be played and Celtic have three games in hand, Sutton says the 19-point gap at the top of the Premiership is insurmountable.
Griffiths has linked up well with Odsonne Edouard in recent weeks after returning to the side, and scored a vital goal in last month’s Scottish Cup Final against Hearts.
It was the 30-year-old striker who came closest to finding the net for Celtic on Saturday, with his curling effort heading in before Allan McGregor remarkably tipped it onto the post.
The threat posed by Griffiths of late has served to underline what Celtic were missing in the earlier part of the campaign, and club legend Sutton insists Griffiths’ fitness issues presented an “enormous problem”.
Griffiths was reported to have reported for training after lockdown heavier than expected, and was not included in the squad that flew out to France for pre-season friendlies in July.
Speaking on the Record Celtic podcast, Sutton said: “I find the Leigh Griffiths situation – I said it before – so frustrating.
“I find Leigh Griffiths such a frustration, because we saw at the weekend what a brilliant, naturally talented finisher Leigh Griffiths is. What an asset to Celtic he is.
“But the fact he hasn’t got himself fit for most of the season has ultimately been an enormous problem, which is why the league’s already over and we’re in the first week of January.
“That’s incredible.”
Griffiths has scored five goals in 11 appearances for Neil Lennon’s side this season, and could be in action again on Monday when his former club Hibs are the visitors to Celtic Park.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
