News: Roy Keane's chances of receiving a Scottish Premier league winners' medal in his first six months at Celtic are in the balance after the club's manager Gordon Strachan revealed the extent of the Corkman's latest injury.

Keane tore a section of his right hamstring an hour into Sunday's League Cup final win over Dunfermline, with the damage expected to prevent him playing for at least three weeks.

The SPL confirmed yesterday its rules state championship medals should only be given to players who have played in at least 10 games.

Keane has played in only six league matches for the champions-elect to date, so his hopes of collecting a second medal from his spell in Scotland depend on his ability to recover in time to be involved in the final four games.

"It's disappointing," said Strachan yesterday. "Roy's performance on Sunday was fantastic before he had to go off and he is a big player for us."

Keane last week hinted at the prospect of ending his playing career in the summer, 12 months before his contract at Parkhead is set to expire, because of persistent hip trouble. He admitted after Sunday's match his latest injury was linked to problems with his right hip, which required surgery in 2002, and his future in Glasgow is unclear despite assertions from those close to Keane he will see out his 18-month deal.

Strachan remains equally confident the 34-year-old will be a Celtic player next season, but there remains the possibility Sunday's medal will be the last of Keane's career. The manager added: "When you're in your mid-30s you have one bad game and start thinking about packing it in. We've all been there. But at 16 and 17 you were still tired or even worse and you weren't thinking about packing it in then."

Celtic host Inverness Caledonian Thistle tonight and are on course to secure the championship against Hearts on April 5th if they can defeat the Highlanders, and win at Livingston on Sunday.

Strachan conceded that, amid a 10-game unbeaten run, he is anxious to close out the season at the earliest opportunity in order to plan for the next campaign: "I've never been in this position as a manager, but as a player I always found it difficult getting over the line. You want the games to be played every day."

Celtic will have to wait for Uefa to inform them whether the title will bring an automatic place in the Champions League group stages but Strachan has revealed the size of his transfer funds have already been decided.

"I have already been told what will be happening financially," he said. "I was told that about Christmas time and I am okay with that. I know what I've definitely got but if someone injects more money into the club, for whatever reason, then I will try my best to spend it wisely. I don't think a certain place in the group stages would affect my budget for the summer."

Meanwhile, Duncan Ferguson is in contention to return to the Everton first-team squad for the derby with Liverpool on Saturday after completing a seven-game suspension and will be desperate to make a mark in potentially his last local spat.

The 34-year-old Scot was suspended, fined £5,000 and warned as to his future behaviour by an FA disciplinary commission last month after he was sent off for punching Wigan's Paul Scharner at the JJB Stadium and then clipping Pascal Chimbonda after the red card was shown. He first suggested he might appeal the second charge but then admitted it.

The former Scotland striker's contract expires in the summer and, having scored in his first derby back in 1994 while on loan from Rangers, he will hope to go out with a bang. "I think Duncan will be looking forward to being involved again," said Everton's David Weir. "He has not played for seven weeks and everyone knows how big the derbies are for Duncan and the club.

"I would have thought he would be desperate to play. He has been training well and I am sure Liverpool wouldn't look forward to facing him.

"I can remember playing against him with Falkirk. I've a few memories, but it is not really a secret he is a handful. The game is changing and Duncan has a lot of characteristics that are maybe going out of the game."