Martin O'Neill has claimed that Luke McCowan can still salvage a long-term future at Celtic, insisting the currently frozen-out midfielder retains a pathway forward at the club. McCowan is not the only player eager to establish himself, as Celtic's Haissem Hassan has also outlined his own clear determination to make an impact. Hassan is set on banishing lingering doubts over his end product by regularly contributing both goals and assists while wearing a Celtic shirt.
Cup excitement took center stage on Saturday as Rangers punched their ticket to next month's final courtesy of a hard-fought win over Aberdeen in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final. Striker Ryan Naderi proved to be the decisive figure on the day, converting the only goal of the showdown. Following his match-winning heroics, Naderi issued an optimistic message to the Rangers supporters, telling fans, "we're coming back here to win it."
However, the League Cup semi-final triumph was not without major talking points, as pundits and former referees united in condemnation over the controversial decision not to send off Rangers defender James Penrice during the match against Aberdeen. Furthermore, the outcome at the weekend carries direct scheduling ramifications for their Glasgow rivals, with Celtic now facing an enforced league fixture switch following Rangers' progression to the tournament's final match.
In Scottish Premiership action, dramatic scenes unfolded at Rugby Park, where St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari lauded his players for securing what he described as a heroic point against Kilmarnock. Despite being reduced to a 10-man side, Valakari's team demonstrated immense resilience by battling back twice from behind to conclude an eventful encounter with a 2-2 draw.