By Frank McAvennie

9th Apr, 2021 | 9:30am

McAvennie claims Kennedy will axe wrong Celtic player against Livingston

Frank McAvennie claims John Kennedy will axe Mohamed Elyounoussi for this weekend’s game between Celtic and Livingston but he should drop Ryan Christie instead. 

The former Celtic forward, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, claims one of the two attackers must make way for James Forrest after his impressive performance against Falkirk.

Forrest is continuing his return to first-team action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines and he scored his first goal since September in the 3-0 win over Falkirk in the cup.

McAvennie insists Christie’s poor form should mean that he is the player who should be replaced but the fact that Elyounoussi is only on loan may sway Kennedy’s mind.

“You look at him [Forrest] and you think ‘people were having a go at him last year’,” McAvennie told Football Insider correspondent Dylan Childs.

“He keeps the width and that’s so important to the way Celtic play, Ryan Christie always comes in and Mohamed Elyounoussi on the other side, he cuts in.

“You need to have that width and it’s just a shame that we’ve missed him all season, he’s such a good player. 

“Good luck to him, I hope he stays fit. We’re going to need him at Ibrox, that’s for sure.

“Because Elyounoussi is on loan he’ll be the one to miss out against Livingston but it should be Ryan, he’s not played well. 

“Callum McGregor could do with a rest but it doesn’t matter who you leave out of that midfield, you’ve got to start Forrest.”

Christie, 26, is goalless in six games in the Scottish Premiership though he has picked up two assists in that run of matches.

Celtic face Livingston at Celtic Park on Saturday as they face their first game back after the split.

In other Celtic news, McAvennie’s sources have told him why Eddie Howe won’t get the Celtic job.