Celtic manager Martin O’Neill will not be in the dugout for his side’s Scottish Premiership match against Kilmarnock on Sunday following his midweek hospital stay.

O’Neill is convalescing at home after undergoing “a small procedure” earlier this week and assistant Shaun Maloney will take charge of the Scottish champions at Rugby Park.

The 74-year-old Northern Irishman is understood to be recovering well, but the match has come too early for him to attend.

Maloney said O’Neill is “doing loads better” and spoke to the team earlier in the day.

“He was at the team hotel, he spoke to the players just after the meeting. He’s in good form,” he told BBC Scotland.

“He just needs a couple of extra days, I think.

“I guess he’ll take it day to day, but he’s definitely in good spirits. We’ll see how he is in a week.”

Maloney said they were “hopeful” that O’Neill would be well enough to return for the Premier Sports Cup tie against Dundee United next weekend.

O’Neill signed a one-year deal in June to become permanent manager after two interim spells last season culminated in a Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double.

Speaking at a pre-match news conference on Friday, Maloney said O’Neill was “loads better than he was Monday, Tuesday”.

The former Celtic and Scotland midfielder said the Scottish champions will “definitely miss him” if he did not make the game at Rugby Park.

“The impact that he’s had over, what was it, since October, it’s been nothing short of incredible really – the things that he does with the players and the staff,” he added.