Trusty Misses Derby Defeat

Defender Rested With 'Calf Knock' as Celtic Fell to Rangers

Celtic's derby disappointment against Rangers was compounded by the late withdrawal of American defender Auston Trusty. The 26-year-old center-back missed the 3-2 defeat at Parkhead due to a calf injury, leaving manager Brendan Rodgers with limited defensive options ahead of the crucial match.

"Auston picked up a slight calf knock, so he trained yesterday, and likewise, he was too sore for him to be available," Rodgers explained before kickoff.

With Liam Scales also unavailable due to injury, Rodgers was forced to call upon Maik Nawrocki to step into the defensive line against Rangers. The lack of continuity in Celtic's backline proved costly, as they conceded three goals, including a late winner from Hamza Igamane, after fighting back from two goals down.

The defeat marked Celtic's second consecutive loss to their Glasgow rivals during Barry Ferguson's interim management at Rangers. Celtic had the advantage of a whole week's rest, while Rangers had played 120 minutes against Fenerbahce in midweek European action.

Trusty received good news on the international front last week, earning a call-up to the United States national team alongside Celtic teammate Cameron Carter-Vickers for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League semi-final against Panama. The pair have established themselves as Rodgers' preferred center-back partnership this season as Celtic pursue a domestic treble. But this injury calls Trusty's participation in the match Thursday as no new news about his knock has emerged at the time of publishing.