Michael Beale will see how key duo Connor Goldson and Ryan Kent react after training before making a call on their part in the Scottish Cup semi-final showdown against Celtic.
Goldson has missed the last three games as a result of a hip injury picked up on the eve of the last derby clash as he had to watch the 3-2 defeat at Parkhead from the sidelines. The 30-year-old is a huge presence in the heart of the rearguard and Beale is delighted to welcome him back.
Kent did feature in the east end of Glasgow but the winger, almost certainly in the final weeks of his Ibrox stay, missed the home win over St Mirren the following week and sat out the defeat at Pittodrie last weekend. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Beale said: “Connor Goldson, Scott Wright, Ryan Kent and Alex Lowry all trained. They've all been out for two or three weeks so we just need to see how they react now and assess after returning to training today.
"Centre back position has been very unstable throughout the season with injuries. Connor is a big character for our team and always nice to have him back. Stability in key positions is key. It's a big opportunity as a player this weekend to reach a final. That will to win, that is what you sign up for coming here. We want to go and win the cup. We have to keep moving forward as a club.
"All the outside noise we don't pay attention to. Our focus is on turning up and performing on the day. It’s a huge game, we know that. It’s been a rough ride this season for the fans. We need to bring the best of ourselves. Games have been won and lost on mistakes - the penalty boxes will be decisive and we need to eradicate one or two errors. It will be a fantastic atmosphere that showcases Scottish football, a lot of noise and colour."
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