Celtic defender Auston Trusty was granted leave to return to the United States for his father's funeral before the club's recent match against Falkirk. The 2-0 defeat at Falkirk on Sunday came amid a period of mixed form for the league leaders, who sit first in the Premiership with 28 points from 12 games, having recorded nine wins, one draw and two losses. Their recent form of two wins, one draw and two losses in their last five matches reflects this inconsistency.

Former Celtic attacker Frank McAvennie has publicly questioned the duration of Trusty's absence. McAvennie described the leave as 'woke' and suggested players must prioritise football over personal matters. "I've got every respect for that, but how long do you want off?" McAvennie said. "Celebrate the life? You've got football. You're getting paid and we're in trouble.

The comments follow a difficult week for Celtic, who conceded early goals to Ethan Ross and Scott Tanser in the loss to Falkirk. That result left Brendan Rodgers's side with two defeats in their last five league matches, a run that includes a 2-2 draw with Dundee United where Camilo Duran and Liam Scales scored for Celtic. Despite this, they maintain a four-point lead at the top of the standings over Rangers. The team has scored 27 goals and conceded just 10 this season, giving them a strong goal difference of plus 17.

Trusty returned to training before the Falkirk fixture. The club has not commented on the specific length of his compassionate leave. Kilmarnock currently sit 11th in the table. The team will look to their top scorer this season, C. Durán with 7 goals in 12 appearances, to help return to winning ways.

Read the full report at Daily Record Football

On November 5, Frank McAvennie issued a second statement apologising directly to Auston Trusty. The former Celtic striker said, "I’m genuinely sorry for any hurt I’ve caused Auston or his family." McAvennie acknowledged his initial apology did not go far enough. The club, which sits first in the Premiership with 28 points, has not commented further on the matter.