Summer signing Loovens will miss Manchester United's visit

Celtic defender Glenn Loovens has ruled himself out of next week's Champions League clash with Manchester United through injury.

The 24-year-old is struggling with a thigh problem and told BBC Sport he will miss Sunday's trip to Hearts and the Celtic Park clash three days later.

"It's annoying to get injured but that's football and you can't do anything about it," he told BBC Sport.

Dutchman Loovens played in United's 3-0 win over Celtic at Old Trafford.

Striker Georgios Samaras, who missed last week's Group E game, has a slim chance of being back for the return.

Netherlands striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink will again definitely miss out.

Darren O'Dea played at the heart of Celtic's defence on Wednesday after Loovens was ruled out of the 3-1 Co-operative Insurance Cup victory over Kilmarnock.

Loovens, who joined Celtic from Cardiff City in August, had himself replaced captain Stephen McManus, who came off injured at half-time during Saturday's 4-2 Scottish Premier League win over Hibernian.

The Dutchman went on to score Celtic's third goal in that match - his second in three games for the Glasgow side.

McManus, meanwhile, is back in training in the hope of returning to the side at Tynecastle on Saturday.

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