Celtic manager Gordon Strachan played down the damage to his first-choice strikeforce ahead of next week's Old Firm clash after his side motored to a 3-0 win over Falkirk at Parkhead.

Last season's top scorer Scott McDonald missed the game with an abductor injury and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was stretchered off to be replaced by the returning Shaun Maloney in the first half after a bruising challenge by Bairns defender Lee Bullen.

"Scott's injury came as a surprise to us because he trained on Friday morning," admitted Strachan. "It's an abductor muscle and so he is going to have a look at that but he might be fit for next week. He's a strong lad so we will see how he is."

Celtic take on Rangers at Parkhead next Sunday but Strachan refused to concede he might have to go with the attacking pair that finished the game against Falkirk.

"Jan has a bad gash at the bottom of his leg, we will have to wait and see if there is any bone or ligament damage. We will find that out on Sunday.

"Whenever you play against Falkirk you are going to get chances and they are going to get chances. But an Old Firm game is a different game altogether."

Maloney, re-signed after an 18-month spell at Aston Villa, eased the Hoops fans' worries for the afternoon at least.

He immediately won the free-kick from which Stephen McManus' 31st minute opener arrived and then he set Georgios Samaras up either side of the interval for the Greece international to open his account for the season.

Falkirk manager John Hughes felt let down by referee Iain Brines for allowing McManus' opener to stand when it looked like he had used a hand to knock Shunsuke Nakamura's free-kick over the line.

He said: "I felt we did okay up until the first goal which hurt us. I could see it was handball from where I was sitting in the stand. At places like this you need big decisions to go for you and that went against us."