Celtic are today counting the heavy, heavy cost of last night’s defeat at Kilmarnock.

The 1-0 loss leaves Tony Mowbray’s men 10 points behind Rangers and only two ahead of Hibs, who have a game in hand.

And they have also lost Aiden McGeady to suspension after the midfielder picked up a booking which has pushed him through the disciplinary threshold.

The ban kicks in 14 days after the offence, so he will have to sit out the SPL game against Dundee United on February 20.

But, much to Mowbray’s relief, McGeady’s suspension is only for one match, which means he will be free to return for the Old Firm game at Ibrox a week later.

Of more immediate concern to Mowbray is the condition of Jos Hooiveld and Andreas Hinkel, both of who limped off at Rugby Park.

Hooiveld has pulled a hamstring. He will be scanned to determine the full extent of the damage, but Mowbray is already ruling him out of Sunday’s Active Nation Scottish Cup tie at Dunfermline.

Hinkel is also unlikely to recover in time for East End Park after suffering an injury to his left thigh early in the game.

Robbie Keane was spotted holding his right hamstring late in the match. But Mowbray revealed the loan signing had not reported any problems immediately after his debut.

On the upside, Scott Brown managed to make his long-awaited return to the side, his first outing since undergoing ankle surgery in October.

Mowbray is disappointed that his plans for his revamped squad have been disrupted by injury and suspension, but he remains philosophical.

He said: “When Kilmarnock scored their goal, Hooiveld was waiting to come off.

“He was already struggling, and I think that would have had a part to play in the fact he was not closer to his man and doing his job.

“But injuries and suspensions are part and parcel of football. You have to take them on the chin and keep going and not moan about it.”

With 45 points still to play for, Mowbray refuses to throw in the towel and said: “The team has to win to build the confidence to keep believing we are going in the right direction.”