Gordon Strachan, the Celtic manager, insists Scott Brown is not guaranteed a recall for Sunday's Old Firm game against Rangers despite being free from suspension.

Gordon Strachan, the Celtic manager, insists Scott Brown is not guaranteed a recall for Sunday's Old Firm game against Rangers despite being free from suspension.

The £4.4m midfielder has served a three-match ban and is available once again to Strachan, but the team's victories in each of the games he has missed could count against the former Hibernian man, and he may only make the bench.

In Brown's absence, Barry Robson, the former Dundee United captain, has slotted into the centre of midfield and helped Celtic to victories over Motherwell, Rangers and Aberdeen.

"Scott is back and that gives me a dilemma. If you don't win the three games, the decision is a bit easier, but we did win the games," Strachan admitted.

Strachan hopes that Brown regrets the run of yellow cards which led to his ban. "It was a self-inflicted wound for Scott," he said. "But he will learn from that."

The manager will certainly allocate a place to Aiden McGeady when he selects his side to face Rangers, after the winger tormented Walter Smith's side during Celtic's 2-1 win at Parkhead on April 16.

Strachan claims there are players who could learn from McGeady's dedication to self-improvement.

"Aiden has gone to a different level," said Strachan. "There are a number of reasons, but he's listened and that's a great thing.

"He's worked on his shape and there are other people with similar ability in the game, who don't work hard enough. They think that ability is enough, but it's not."