ST JOHNSTONE boss Callum Davidson has defended Celtic skipper Scott Brown following his clash with Michael O’Halloran on Sunday.
The pair were involved in a coming together during the first half as Saints secured a well-earned point against the Scottish champions.
After the game it was revealed that the SFA compliance officer viewed the incident following complaints of an alleged stamp by Brown.
But McDiarmid Park manager Davidson reckons O’Halloran’s injury came from an awkward fall.
Asked if the former Rangers man would be fit for Livingston this weekend, he said: “Michael still has his knock from Sunday so it is just about whether it heals quick enough. If it settles down, then he’ll be okay.
“It is just the bruising on his hip. I think just from the way he has landed on it. The swelling wasn’t great after the game, it has settled down quite a lot, so hopefully by Saturday he will be okay.
“It was one of those. It was a difficult one to see, you have to slow it down a lot. I think probably at first thought we thought it [the challenge] was the way Michael got injured, but I think he fell on the ball.
“It didn’t probably to me seem as bad as people are making out. Listen, it is up to them [SFA] it’s not up to me to make those decisions.”
On a positive note, for the Perth outfit, Craig Conway, Murray Davidson and Jason Kerr are all back to full fitness following spells on the side-line.
But with their replacements helping Saints continue on their eleven unbeaten game run, there are no assurances that they will go straight back in from the start against Livi on Saturday.
On whether he will start Shaun Rooney or Kerr, Davidson continued: “It’s a good headache to have. I would rather have that with all these games coming up.
“It is the same with the strikers. Chris Kane has scored and so has Callum Hendry. There’s a lot of players playing well, like David Wotherspoon and Michael O’Halloran.
“There is good competition. Murray [Davidson] and Craig [Conway] should be back for Saturday. They both came through training today fine, so I’m pleased to have them back in the squad.
“Callum Booth is probably still 50/50 and O’Halloran will probably be 50/50 too.”
Davidson also reacted to the news that Motherwell were awarded two 3-0 victories after their games against St Mirren and Kilmarnock were postponed due to coronavirus breakouts.
Saints were victims of a similar cancellation earlier this season when eight Aberdeen players broke strict protocol and forced the fixture to be rescheduled.
Davidson said: “It is a difficult one. Obviously they make the decisions. There's not a lot my gut reaction can say about it.
“As the manager of St Johnstone I just have to get on with it and try to prepare my team to win on Saturday.
“Hopefully we are fortunate as a club to stay away from Covid and we can get a team out and earn the three points.”
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