John Hartson fears that his two-goal performance in yesterday's win over Hibernian may not be enough to secure his place in the team for Thursday's UEFA Cup third round game against Valencia. The Spanish side will come to Glasgow to defend a 1-0 lead from the first leg. Hartson, who set up another goal for Neil Lennon in the 3-0 win, described his second strike - a deft lob from 25 metres - as the "best goal of my life". The Welshman was given a standing ovation by the Parkhead crowd following the win which stretched Celtic's lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League to twelve points over Old Firm rivals Rangers.
Hartson has seized his chance at first team action. He has been deputising for Chris Sutton, whose baby son has been seriously ill in hospital. The three-month-old child's respiratory condition improved enough for Sutton to play against Hibernian. Sutton played in central defence, meaning that Hartson partnered Henrik Larsson in attack.
Hartson, who has now scored seven goals since his move in August from Coventry City, hopes that manager Martin O'Neill will consider changing his preferred European line-up for the Valencia game. "The manager has gone with his favoured two, Henrik and Chris, ahead of me for almost all the European games. The only Champions League game I played in was the one away to FC Porto, when Chris was injured. I've maybe given him a selection problem now - most managers would be pleased with that," he said.
The former Arsenal, West Ham and Wimbledon player feels he has not had the chance to live up to expectations in Glasgow because he has spent most of his time on the bench. "You can train all you want, the only way you get sharpness is playing in games. This is my third match in a week and felt much sharper, whereas in Valencia I had not played for a few weeks - and that was a (League Cup) game against (third division side) Stirling Albion," he said.
Martin O'Neill admitted that he faces a selection dilemma. "It has not been easy for John coming here, with all the attention on him and two forwards like Sutton and Larsson in the form of their lives. He could have gone elsewhere in England but he chose here because of the lure of European football. However, he is a player who needs to be playing regularly to keep his fitness -- he's given me selection problems for the Valencia match," said the Celtic manager.
Filed by Greg McKevitt
