Neil Lennon insists Freddie Ljungberg is now fit and ready to aid Celtic's cause after a noticeably low-key start to the former Arsenal midfielder's time in Glasgow.
Ljungberg, who arrived at Celtic on a short-term deal in January, has started one game and played 15 minutes of another three. On Monday night, Ljungberg turned out for what was essentially a Celtic reserve team in a friendly against Shamrock Rovers.
Lennon admitted the Swede's lack of match sharpness, and the form of Celtic's other players, is the reasoning behind that. "It's a bit of both," Lennon said. "He played in Dublin on Monday night and played very well. He has looked really good over the last couple of days in training so we feel he is ready. Whenever we need him, we can put him in there."
Lennon denied Ljungberg had been put out by his lack of involvement, with the possibility that he will feature at Dundee United on Sunday.
"There has been no problem at all, he has been great," added the Celtic manager. "He understands the situation, not that it is a massive problem any way. He is right up to full speed, we feel, physically. He looks very, very strong now. His fitness levels have improved greatly so he is ready to go.
"I am excited about the possibility of using him now and I think he will be as well. I don't want to build him up but I think he is hungry. He is here to prove a point, that he can still do it, and is relatively young at 33."
Celtic's return to Tannadice is eye-catching given what occurred the last time they faced United in Dundee. On what proved to be the most controversy-filled occasion of the Scottish season to date, Celtic were awarded a penalty which was subsequently reversed. The visitors' 2-1 win was the least of the post-match talking points.
After the referee Dougie McDonald lied over the circumstances of that penalty incident, he resigned amid a furious backlash.
"I don't think you will get a game like that again for a while, with the fallout and what happened after that," Lennon said. "But if it happens, it happens. As long as we get the same result, I'll be delighted. We played very well that day, it was a superb performance. There was a real desire to win and a real quality about our attacking play. It wasn't just sporadic, it was relentless."