Former Scottish top flight star Tam McManus feels Celtic's Jozo Simunovic has suffered a real slump in form, owing to his injury problems.
The defender, who joined Celtic from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2015, struggled with a knee ligament injury last season.
Simunovic also spent a considerable time on the sidelines in the present campaign with an ankle problem.
The 23-year-old was at the heart of Celtic’s defence on Sunday night as the Hoops’ lengthy domestic run came to a shocking end, following their 4-0 loss at Hearts.
And McManus, who explained that Simunovic and Dedryck Boyata are not the ideal centre-back pairing for Celtic, thinks the former Croatia youth international’s injury problems in the last 18 months have significantly contributed to his below-par performances this season.
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“He doesn’t look the same player”, McManus wrote on Twitter, when asked about Simunovic.
“He has picked up a lot of niggles – knee, ankle and hamstring all in last 18 months.
“Him and Boyata are a bomb-scare together.”
Simunovic, who signed a fresh deal with Celtic in September which will keep him at the club until 2021, has thus far made 19 appearances in all competitions in the ongoing campaign.
