Initially, this didn\u2019t seem to be a problem. He scored on his debut against Kilmarnock<\/a> off the bench, and again on his European debut against Red Star Belgrade.<\/p>\n With international and Premier League<\/a> pedigree having once been one of the most prominent young strikers in Europe, Iheanacho<\/a> arrived looking to rediscover his former form.<\/p>\n But just two minutes into the Hoops\u2019 meeting with Sturm Graz, he went down injured after no contact. Neil Lennon\u2019s<\/a> concern reflected the whole support\u2019s feeling.<\/p>\n Neil Lennon on Kelechi Iheanacho\u2019s injury for Celtic vs Sturm Graz<\/p>\n The game had barely started when Iheanacho went down and Johnny Kenny<\/a> was instructed to get stripped to come on.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a golden opportunity for the Irish striker, for whom starts have been few and far between since his return to Celtic<\/a> in January.<\/p>\n READ MORE: What Charlie Mulgrew knows \u2018for a fact\u2019 about Celtic players\u2019 reaction to fan protests vs Dundee<\/a><\/p>\n But the Hoops are left confused by the instant withdrawal of Iheanacho, who has established himself as the side\u2019s main striker.<\/p>\n For Lennon, commentating on the game for TNT Sports, such an injury shouldn\u2019t be happening.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cThat\u2019s not a good sign. It looked a bit innocuous, I don\u2019t know if he\u2019s pulled something. But we\u2019re only two minutes into the game, this is not good.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is a massive blow, your main striker coming off after two minutes. He looks very very frustrated. It\u2019s a blow for him, it\u2019s a blow for Celtic, it breaks up the momentum at the start that they wanted to make.<\/p>\n \u201cBut that\u2019s a real interesting one, that shouldn\u2019t be happening two minutes into the game. I don\u2019t know what\u2019s happened there.<\/p>\n \u201cIs it his hip or his hamstring? It looked like he was holding the inside of his hip area. But that\u2019s a massive blow to the player, who really wants to make an impact at the club having come in at the end of August.\u201d<\/p>\n To make matters worse, Alistair Johnston<\/a> was withdrawn on the 25th minute, with an apparent recurrence of his hamstring injury.<\/p>\n Celtic developing an injury crisis<\/p>\n Along with Johnston and Iheanacho, Jota<\/a> and Daizen Maeda<\/a> are also out of action. <\/p>\n In a time when Rodgers needs all the help he can get, the injury list growing is the last thing he could do with.<\/p>\n The Hoops face a crucial top-of-the-table clash with Hearts<\/a> at Tynecastle on Sunday \u2013 the Jambos could go eight points clear of the Celts with a win.<\/p>\n![\"Injury](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2242486732-1024x682.jpg\")
Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n