Andy Walker insists Celtic won’t care about John Beaton refereeing the game – despite admitting that “controversy” is a certainty during the clash with Rangers.

Beaton will be the man in the middle for the crucial Scottish Premiership clash having been heavily criticised by Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers for his performance on VAR following the Hoops’ defeat to Hearts. The SFA’s decision to hand Beaton the whistle for the game at Ibrox raised some eyebrows with some punters buying into conspiracy theories before the Old Firm derby clash.

But former Hoops’ hero Walker was having none of the madcap claims about the whistler – as he insisted that Callum McGregor and co won’t care who is refereeing the game. He reckons that the errors that have rumbled on since the introduction of VAR show a greater issue with officials in Scotland.

Walker told talkSPORT: “I don’t think you will find any Celtic players worrying about a refereeing performance on Sunday. I think what we do have is a poor group of referees.

“I think what has happened in Scotland is the introduction of VAR has exposed them for being pretty weak. I am all for having a firm and fair referee in the middle of the park – who goes with the decision.

“The amount of times they are just getting another opinion from someone that has seen it different – the idea of getting the right call is just an impossibility. There are so many subjective decisions and you have got to give it to the man in the middle.

“I don’t think you will find any Celtic player having any qualms about John Beaton being the referee. But obviously you can get controversy. The one thing you are guaranteed is controversy.

“You can talk about a throw in for three or four days in these games. I don’t think Celtic players will have qualms about John Beaton being the referee – they will want to do what they are good at, which is establish themselves on the day and try and get another win.”

Exclusive! Brendan Rodgers’ blast is the SFA’message’ for John Beaton Rangers vs. Celtic curveball.

Former top referee Stuart Dougal reckons Beaton will be delighted at being handed the Old Firm derby despite scrutiny.

It’s the curve ball that no-one in their right mind would want to receive.

So it’s probably just as well then that referees don’t think like normal people. Because when John Beaton opened his emails on Tuesday morning to discover that the hottest potato in town had just landed in his inbox, he’ll have regarded it as a badge of honour rather than see it for what it really is – the ultimate hospital pass.

Former grade one ref Stuart Dougal knows the feeling. Which is why he believes Beaton will be buzzing at the prospect of taking charge of Sunday’s powderkeg Old Firm derby when his every human instinct ought to have him quivering at the thought. To ramp up the pressure, Beaton’s card was marked very publicly by Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers after the champions crashed to defeat at Tynecastle last month.

Rodgers jabbed a finger of blame at the officials for that 2-0 loss and called out Beaton for ‘incompetence’ in his role in the VAR studio, stoking the flames of a thousand whorey old conspiracy theories.

Which is precisely why his appointment as the man in the middle this weekend – for a potential title decider – almost broke the internet on Tuesday morning. But, according to Dougal, Beaton will have been protected from the blast.

Speaking exclusively to Record Sport the former FIFA whistler said: “Believe it or not, referees don’t actually bother with all that stuff. I know we’re only human but if you stay away from social media and try not to read the newspapers then, as a match official, you go into your own little world.

“They have their own support network and that’s who John will be speaking to – other top referees, his referees’ association and obviously his family. John is an experienced official and this is not the first time he’ll have gone into an Old Firm game with people questioning him – whether it’s his impartiality or his ability.

“But he wouldn’t be getting an Old Firm game if the Scottish FA didn’t believe in him. Referees are monitored every week by the referees’ observer or supervisor. So you don’t get these top games if you are not performing.

“People say, ‘Referees can have a bad game and nothing happens to them,’ but that’s simply not the case. Trust me, you don’t get games of this magnitude if you are not performing week in, week out.

“Whether fans, players or managers don’t think referees are performing it’s not them who make the decisions – it’s the authorities. That’s the same for all the top referees – these guys need to keep performing to be considered.

“John will be delighted to get it because it’s a seal of approval from the SFA.

“And it’s also a wee message to the clubs in general that clubs will not dictate to the SFA or to the referees’ department who is put in charge of their games. Or who is not.

“Referees will get their games on merit regardless of who has criticised them. And John’s not just been criticised by Celtic or by Brendan Rodgers. John will have had criticism throughout the season, as every other referee will have had. That’s just the nature of the beast and part of the job.

“They are trained for it now whereas, dare I say, back in my day we just dealt with it. They have a support mechanism in place these days which is much greater than it was when I was refereeing and that has to be welcomed.”

And yet the fact remains that Beaton is facing a no win situation when he runs out into the eye of the storm at Ibrox. Make a decision which benefits Rangers and he’ll be hounded by Celtic and their supporters. Make one which benefits Celtic and he’ll be accused of being bullied and brow beaten by Rodgers.

Dougal shrugged: “It was ever thus. That’s why the comments from Brendan Rodgers were unhelpful. If a referee makes a decision that goes against one team then the fans or, in some cases, the club will find a reason for why that decision was made rather than just say, ‘Well that was unfortunate,’.

“Just look at the way Gregor Townsend handled himself after Scotland had been denied a match winning try in the Six Nations against France. He didn’t come out and slaughter the TMO or the match referee. He just said it was all part of the game and unfortunate. Can we get that in football? I don’t think so. The next question is why?”

Rodgers, of course, was hit with a two game suspension for his blast at Beaton and could have been watching this one from the main stand had he not had his ban cut in half on appeal.

And Dougal believes Rodgers was wrong to make it so highly personal with an official who needed police protection at his family home after handling this very fixture five years ago.

He went on: “The concern is that there was a charter signed a number of years ago, that this type of thing wouldn’t happen because of previous threats and abuse of referees, particularly on social media. My understanding is that this charter was put in place in order to stop this kind of behaviour and to maintain a mutual respect.

“Of course, there is still freedom of speech. Brendan Rodgers or any other manager can, if he feels strongly enough, come out and mention a referee by name. But it’s probably unwise, generally. Match referees don’t come out after games and criticise a player for missing a penalty, a keeper who lets in a soft goal or a manager who got his tactics wrong.

“Where would the game be if we lost that respect and referees started doing the same thing that some managers do? Let referees referee. If they make a mistake it’s always an honest mistake – if indeed it is an actual mistake and not just a perceived one. But I think we all know there should be a level of respect in the game and particularly in this part of the world.”

It should not be forgotten either that Rangers have similarly singled out Willie Collum over the years and that, earlier this season, they demanded that he be blackballed from officiating any of their games. While Beaton will be out on centre stage on Sunday, Collum will act as his wing man and fourth official.

And Dougal said: “To be fair to the SFA and the referees department they have always publicly backed their officials. But let’s not forget they are not just there out of spite. They are there because they are two of the top referees.

“People want to criticise John and Willie and everybody else – or VAR for that matter – but they’ve got to take cognisance of the fact that the reason these guys are there is to try to help the game.

“The decision making and the process might not be perfect, it will never be perfect, but it’s better than it was in my day, that’s for sure. I only found out about my mistakes when I went down the road and watched the highlights on TV!”

A former England Under-21 international is being pursued by Celtic, who are facing a Premier League trio.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers will be keen to reshuffle his squad once the summer window rolls around at Parkhead.

In the January market period, the Irishman moved to trim the likes of David Turnbull, Mikey Johnston and Hyeokkyu Kwon from his squad. However, the latter two will return to Lennoxtown once their loan agreements expire.

Nevertheless, changes are set to alter what has become a familiar group of faces. One man who is certain to leave the club is Joe Hart, who has decided to retire from football at the end of this campaign.

Candidates to replace the Englishman have emerged in media circles, such as RC Waalwijk goalkeeper Ettiene Vaessen and Trabzonspor stopper Ugurcan Cakir; nevertheless, it must be stressed that they appear to be nothing more than rumours at this point.

Further up the pitch, loanee Paulo Bernardo’s situation gained some air time last weekend amid his stunning goal away to Livingston.

The Portugal Under-21 international has shown glimpses of his potential since joining from Benfica last year. Regardless, it remains to be seen whether Celtic activate his buyout clause, which is speculated to be around £6.4 million.

Adam Idah is another individual who doesn’t have public clarity over his future at the Hoops, and he chimed in with an assist against the Lions for Matt O’Riley’s 82nd-minute strike.

Celtic battle Premier League trio to sign Jake Clarke-Salter

According to The Sun, Celtic are locked in a battle with Premier League trio Crystal Palace, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign Queens Park Rangers defender Jake Clarke-Salter.

The 26-year-old has also attracted interest from Sky Bet Championship outfit Ipswich Town, who could potentially earn promotion to the English top-flight this term.

Capped 12 times by England at Under-21 level, Clarke-Salter has made 29 appearances for QPR in the league this season, registering a solitary goal [Transfermarkt].

Formerly of Chelsea’s academy, he is under contract at Loftus Road until 2026, and it is unclear how much Celtic would need to pay to prize him away from West London.

Clarke-Salter would be a solid addition for Celtic

Providing a solid base for QPR, Clarke-Salter has impressed in the English second tier this season, recording an average of 2.1 tackles won, 4.3 clearances and 4.1 ball recoveries per league match [Sofascore].

Intriguingly, he is also a left-footed centre-back, which is a desired profile in the modern game; nevertheless, if we were to swoop for the Carshalton-born man, questions over the future of Liam Scales would continue to grow amid his contract stalemate at Parkhead.

Either way, despite failing to settle in the early part of his career, Clarke-Salter has finally started to flourish at Loftus Road and appears on paper to be a viable option for Rodgers to bolster his defensive line.

John Kennedy bristles at Celtic critics with ‘focus on negatives’ quip

John Kennedy shut down the “negatives” after a question about Celtic’s recent lack of clean sheets.

The Hoops dominated Livingston in a comfortable 3-0 win yesterday afternoon to keep their first shutout in six fixtures dating back to their 2-0 win over St Mirren on February 11. The assistant manager was asked about the defensive part of the team and how he feels they’ve done this season with conceding unnecessary goals at times.

Kennedy, though, preferred to focus on the positives as he pointed to the number of goals his side have scored in contrast to the limited strikes they’ve shipped and he let Sky Sports‘ Luke Shanley know he’d spotted the more negative spin on the question.

“It’s always nice when you focus on the negatives,” Kennedy said when asked about the clean sheet. “We’ve scored 17 goals outside of the Hearts game and we’ve scored another three today.

“Our defensive game is always important, we know that also gives us momentum as well.

“Today we were strong, we were really strong at the back, I don’t know if Livingston even had a corner.

“All-round it was very pleasing.”

Kevin Thomson Highlights “Quality” Celtic Duo

Former Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson has highlighted two Celtic players as the best in Scotland.

Thomson was full of praise for Cameron Carter-Vickers and Callum McGregor, with Carter-Vickers starting this afternoon against Livingston, while McGregor himself missed the game but is said to be in contention for the Glasgow Derby next weekend.

Thomson said [BBC Radio Scotland], “I think the main players they have, I think Cameron Carter-Vickers and Callum McGregor are two of the best players in the country by a country mile.

“So I think that when Celtic lose them they really struggle.

“I think Celtic are a wee bit more reliant on Callum McGregor and Carter-Vickers than Rangers would be if they lost one or two of their best players.”

McGregor and Carter-Vickers are undoubtedly two of the first names on the Celtic team sheet week in and week out, and the fact that Thomson made sure to point out their quality says a lot about just how good they are.

Brendan Rodgers will be hopeful that each player can contribute hugely in the coming months.

With Scottish football now in the business end of the season, it is time to see each player at their best if Celtic are to retain the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup.

“It worked quite well”- Scott Brown explains why he shaved his head during his Celtic days

“The media team were not happy with me.”

Celtic legend Scott Brown has revealed why he always shaved his head during his playing days, and no, it wasn’t because of male pattern baldness.

The Celtic hero famously rocked the bald look as he captained his club to multiple honours, and the look did go well with his all-action no-nonsense style of playing.

If you Google the combative midfielder, chances are you will see images of him squaring up against El Hadji Diouf, or celebrating in front of the Rangers fans, all with the same menacing grin and bulging eyes that lets his opponents know he means business.

Now however, the Scotland native is sporting a full head of hair, that got fans thinking he might have got a hair transplant since retiring from football. Speaking to BBC Scotland though, Brown confirms that it is his own hair.

“It’s 100 per cent all my hair. If you want to touch it, feel free

“(I did it) to intimidate people. It worked quite well if I’m honest. During Covid the kids asked if I actually did have hair and I wasn’t 100 per cent sure if I actually could grow it or if I had a receeder.

“So I thought ‘we’ll give it eight, nine weeks’, and it started to grow. I always had really thick, Brillo pad hair. No style to it whatsoever but it just grows out like a tennis ball.

“I ended up getting my first pictures going back to Celtic after Covid. Got the pictures with hair and then shaved it for the first game.

“So you can imagine the media team were not happy with me.”

As far as footballing mysteries go, it is hardly one of the more hard hitting ones, but it certainly does satisfy those who were wondering about Brown’s new luscious locks and why they didn’t make an appearance during his playing days.

Joe Hart Lifts Lid On Iconic Video of His Celebrations at Livingston

Celtic travel to Livingston in the Scottish Premiership tomorrow as the run-in well and truly begins

The last time the Hoops made the jaunt through to West Lothian, they came away deserved 3-0 winners, but it wasn’t without a mishap or two.

Indeed, goalkeeper Joe Hart was sent off 28 minutes in. This didn’t faze his teammates, however, who put in a stellar performance to win 3-0.

Daizen Maeda’s wonder goal in stoppage time pleased many, particularly Hart. He could be seen in the tunnel celebrating the strike as passionately as ever.

It was the first time the veteran stopper was ever ordered off, and he has admitted that how he celebrated was a normal way for him to act, but he was slightly surprised the cameras picked up on it. “That was naughty”, he told Glasgow Times.

“There was no need for that clip. I was just watching the game and reacting how I would like to react.

“I know we’re in public and people are free to do what they want. I think that was footage from the live cameras they were setting up for the interviews after. So that was a shame.

“But that was Daizen scoring an absolute banger to make it three. I’d liked to have celebrated with him obviously but that’s what it was.

“Of course [the fans loved it]. But it’s me. That’s how I am. That’s the truth. It’s a shame as you want to feel comfortable to express yourself in a controlled environment, but that’s modern-day life.”

This weekend at Livingston, Celtic cannot afford any mishaps. Hart staying on the pitch for 90 minutes would be ideal, and fans would be greatly pleased with a similar scoreline to what their last trip to Almondvale ended.

Kick-off tomorrow is at midday, and the game is live on Sky Sports.

Joe Hart: For the Livingston test, we’ll be ready and well-prepared.

Joe Hart welcomed the international break and the chance to spend some time away from the training ground.

But the Celtic goalkeeper, like the rest of his team-mates, was also delighted to return to Lennoxtown and get back down to business.

That’s involved preparing for this Sunday’s trip to Livingston, and Hart is hoping that over the next few weeks, the squad will be back to more or less full strength as they chase silverware on two fronts.

The Hoops returned to the top of the Premiership table with a victory over St Johnstone, and the aim is to deliver another three points this weekend to maintain that place.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s game, the 36-year-old said: “We’ve got to keep everyone in as good a condition as we possibility can, have as strong a squad to pick from and look to attack every game.

‘We’re in a good place. There’s always that fresh feeling after an international. You spent a lot of time together so it’s nice to have some time apart.’

“We’re getting a few people back fit so I feel like we’re in a good spot.

“There’s no doubt we’re at our best when we’ve got everyone available and the manager’s got decisions on who he wants to pick in every single position.

He arrived as an unknown quantity but left as a fans’ favourite.

Just seen this nice mention in the Celtic Star – thanks! #CelticFC https://t.co/f637y9stPo

— Nick De Marco KC (@nickdemarco_) March 16, 2020

It’s far to say that that was one of the easiest victories of the sports barrister’s career to-date and he’s bound to enjoy dealing with the Scottish FA as most of the time he’s got to contend with competent sports professionals and administrators.

It’s Brendan in the dock this time, for calling out Beaton and Robertson after their double act to rescue the season after Motherwell had won at Ibrox. Yang’s nonsense red, upgraded from a yellow on Beaton’s insistence and then the icing on the cake as Beaton used his laptop to find a handball that no-one in football ever would say is a penalty, never mind a clear and obvious error missed by the referee.

Robertson didn’t have the balls to say no to Beaton and Brendan’s description of all that being merely incompetence does both officials a massive favour. If it’s not incompetence then what exactly was going on? Most Celtic supporters could give an answer to that one and they’d probably be hitting the nail on the head.

Will tomorrow go down this rabbit hole and will the Scottish FA be getting hot under the collar as it all unfolds?

Now the rules and regulations that are in place on what managers and players can say about referees is one thing but what about VAR officials? A referee or his assistant could previously make a call that later TV showed to be wrong. Let’s say on an offside decision. Flagged off, no goal. TV shows player was on – it’s an honest mistake and the rules are there to protect the officials in those circumstances.

But here both decisions were correct in real time – yellow to Yang, no penalty to Hearts, but VAR found reasons to change the referees mind. In effect VAR (John Beaton) was refereeing the game from his monitor – NOT what he’s supposed to be doing and Robertson was allowing this to happen.

Starting to reek of something is it not?

Here’s what Brendan said after the controversial incidents at Typecastle earlier this month:

“I try to respect decisions and give the benefit of the doubt but I think when I see that level of incompetence, which is the only word I can use, then that makes me worry for the game. In such a tight title race that can make the difference. I also think that VAR is not the problem here. “That’s clear. It’s competence.

“The first one is the sending off when there is no force. Show a still image of that and of course and you will see a foot up with the head near it, but it’s not the reality of the move. Don got it actually right on the field. It was a high boot, so it’s a yellow card – no malice or force.

“For John Beaton to actually look at that in VAR, supposedly under no pressure, and say that was sending off? I find that incredible. The second one is worse. If you have a penalty go against you for that then there will be penalties every single weekend and midweek,” Brendan Rodgers

One way of the other we will know the outcome tomorrow. If Brendan Rodgers is given a two match ban then Celtic – and the Celtic support – must consider all options. There is widespread unhappiness in Scottish football about the competency of the VAR staff and already Crawford Allan, the Head of Referees has fallen on his sword.

Motherwell and St Johnstone have both spoken up about VAR in recent days. Celtic could consider publicly stating that the club no longer wish to finance VAR and seek support around the league. Other clubs will feel the same.

Being the first country to walk away from VAR because essentially the Scottish FA cannot manage it probably will be hugely embarrassing for the Scottish FA. But the game in Scotland would be all the better to having put VAR in the bin. That’s where this is heading for the Scottish FA.

Cost £3m: Ange struck gold for Celtic by signing star who’s “reminiscent of Trent” – opinion

Celtic brought manager Brendan Rodgers back to Glasgow last summer after Australian head coach Ange Postecoglou decided to make a move down south.

The now-Spurs boss enjoyed a terrific two years in Scotland and was particularly successful in the transfer market with several fantastic additions, including the likes of Jota, Kyogo Furuhashi, Joe Hart, and Cameron Carter-Vickers.

One of his last signings in charge of the Hoops, during the January transfer window at the start of last year, was right-back Alistair Johnston from MLS side CF Montreal.

Postecoglou struck gold by bringing the Canadian to Parkhead, as his value has since soared alongside his excellent front-footed displays for the club.

How much Celtic paid to sign Alistair Johnston

The Daily Record reported that Celtic splashed out a fee of £3m to sign the talented defender after his impressive performances in North America throughout 2022.

Johnston made 35 appearances in the MLS in the 2022 campaign and caught the eye with four goals and four assists from right-back, which shows that he provided an attacking threat from that position.

The Canada international also won 50% of his defensive duels during that period, as he stood up to the physical test of the division, and the Hoops then swooped to secure his signature midway through their season.

He hit the ground running in the Scottish Premiership, as you can see in the table above, with an impressive return of five ‘big chances’ created in just 14 matches to help the team win the title.

Alistair Johnston’s current market value

At the time of writing (26/03/2024), Johnston is valued at €8m (£6.8m) by Transfermarkt and this shows that Postecoglou and Celtic hit the jackpot with him, as his value has soared and his performances on the pitch have been, largely, superb.

The 25-year-old whiz has created eight ‘big chances’ and registered two assists in 25 Premiership matches for the Hoops so far this season, which means that he has racked up 15 ‘big chances’ created in just 39 league games for the club.

Former Hoops man Steve Guppy, who worked with Johnston at Nashville in the MLS, heaped praise on the full-back’s outstanding ability to cross the ball.

He claimed that the right-back’s style and technique when it came to passing and crossing the ball was “reminiscent of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s at Liverpool”, and went on to say that he was “excited” to see the defender play for Celtic due to that quality.

Johnston has recorded two assists in his last four Premiership matches for the Hoops and both of those were crosses to Adam Idah, who converted one with his left foot and one with his head.

That is incredibly high praise when you consider that the England international recently broke the Premier League record for assists by defenders, with the 58th of his career so far – by the age of just 25.

At 25, the Celtic star still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve over the years to come. For now, though, it is hard to deny that he has been a terrific signing by Postecoglou, with his soaring value and Trent-like crosses in the Premiership.

Celtic ‘Show Trial’ Shambles: Pundit Blasts SFA

The controversy over Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers’ scheduled disciplinary has been the source of fevered debate, with SSB pundit Hugh Keevins launching a scathing critique, labeling the proceedings as a “show trial” and questioning its legitimacy.

This comes in the wake of Crawford Allan, the head of referees, announcing his decision to step down, albeit remaining in position until the end of the season due to the lack of an immediate successor. Allan’s continued but diminished role has sparked debate, particularly regarding the appropriateness of pursuing disciplinary action against Rodgers for his criticism of John Beaton’s VAR performance during the Tynecastle game.

Keevins expressed his concerns in a RecordSport column, pointing out the precarious situation Allan finds himself in and the implications for the upcoming hearing. He wrote: “Crawford Allan’s decision to stand down as the head of Scotland’s referees, but retain the title until the end of the season on a nominal basis, raises serious questions. The first being the validity of Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers’ appearance in front of a disciplinary hearing on Thursday. Allan has effectively gone from office after a vote of no confidence in him, along with VAR and all its operatives, imposed by the Premiership clubs who were canvassed for their opinion.”

The backdrop to this controversy is a broader dissatisfaction with the implementation of VAR and refereeing standards in Scottish football, sentiments echoed by the Premiership clubs’ lack of confidence in the system and its overseers. Keevins’ commentary sheds light on the complexity of enforcing disciplinary measures in such a turbulent landscape, especially when the individual at the centre of the enforcement is considered a “lame duck.”

This situation leaves Celtic and Brendan Rodgers in an awkward position as they prepare for the hearing. With Rodgers potentially facing a touchline ban ahead of crucial matches, the debate over the fairness and timing of the disciplinary process has intensified.

The legitimacy of pursuing punitive measures under these circumstances is now under scrutiny, casting a shadow over the Scottish FA’s disciplinary procedures and raising questions about the influence of administrative challenges on the fair treatment of clubs and managers in the league.

Henrik Larsson Makes Special Celtic Appearance

Henrik Larsson made a special Celtic appearance overnight in New York City. The legendary striker was in attendance at the Celtic foundation’s annual Gala in Manhattan where they always raise an incredible amount for great causes.

The event is always attended by some of our most famous Celts and it doesn’t get any bigger than Henrik!

Larsson, who joined Celtic in 1997, is revered not just for his goal-scoring prowess but also for his significant impact on the club. Over seven years, he became Celtic’s third-highest scorer, netting 242 goals in 315 appearances

His journey with the hoops was marked by remarkable resilience, including a dramatic comeback from a career-threatening leg injury in 1999.

Under manager Martin O’Neill, Larsson experienced a golden era, forming a lethal partnership with Chris Sutton and leading Celtic to domestic and European success.

His Hoops highlight’s include stopping the ten under Wim Jansen, a domestic treble in the 2000/2001 season and a memorable run to the UEFA Cup final in 2003, where Larsson’s performance solidified his status as a Celtic legend.

Celtic could be in line for ‘huge’ post-international break boost as pundit makes title claim

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers will be keen to ensure his side can have a clean bill of health once his side return from the international break.

Several Bhoys have left Parkhead to embark on their travels, with Greg Taylor and Anthony Ralston forming part of the Scotland set-up under Steve Clarke.

Nevertheless, one man who isn’t part of the Tartan Army’s plans due to injury is club captain Callum McGregor, though he will come into contention once Scottish club football resumes.

Cameron Carter-Vickers started against St Johnstone last weekend and helped to shore up our backline. Despite this, it has been decided that the Southend-born man will continue his fitness progress at Lennoxtown rather than travelling to link up with the United States national team.

Reo Hatate is nearing match readiness after a long-term absence from the Celtic midfield; meanwhile, Liam Scales, Maik Nawrocki and Luis Palma are three other individuals who won’t be involved for their respective nations.

The Bhoys travel to face Livingston in 11 days’ time, and it remains to be seen who could manage to recuperate in time to face David Martindale’s outfit at the Tony Macaroni Arena.

In light of our ongoing battle to win the Scottish Premiership, Rodgers appears to be trying to rouse the cavalry for a charge towards the finish line.

Stephen McGinn believes Celtic trio return could be ‘huge boost’

I’m sure everyone will be sick of the phrase ‘like a new signing’ by now; however, the return of important first-team players from injury is always cause for optimism at Parkhead.

In our case, being able to introduce McGregor, Hatate and Carter-Vickers back into the fold as a trio would be a major shot in the arm, given their importance to Rodgers’ tactical framework.

Pundit Stephen McGinn shares this sentiment and believes that the three men in question re-entering the fray would incrementally boost our title chances.

He stated [Go Radio Football Show]: “It would be a huge boost, if they’re able to get Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Cameron Carter-Vickers fit for these last eight games, then they have a real chance of winning the league title.

“You see the difference, Carter-Vickers is off the pitch for five minutes, St Johnstone had hardly been out their own half, and score instantly when he goes off the park, so I think combined in the league, they’ve only played three games together.”

Celtic have title destiny in their own hands

Undoubtedly, both sides of the Glasgow divide will believe in their chances of winning the title; however, the experience of winning league silverware in the Celtic dressing room could go a long way between now and the time all is said and done.

McGinn’s point stands to reason, and Carter-Vickers, McGregor and Hatate are among a core of pivotal individuals who have been instrumental to our success over the last couple of years.

Looking forward, Rodgers will know the importance of ensuring the trio are available ahead of our trip to Ibrox next month.

Brendan Rodgers’ title race message ahead of a big weekend for Celtic

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is relishing the opportunity to test his team in the fire of a title run-in, speaking ahead of what is a big weekend for the Bhoys.

Rodgers’ side have the opportunity to put serious pressure on league leaders Rangers with a victory over St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

If Celtic beat Craig Levein’s outfit at home later today, they will move a point above the Ibrox team ahead of their tricky trip away to Dundee on Sunday.

A lot has been said about the direction of Celtic’s season, the failings and the inconsistency. For Rodgers, it’s time to put all of that aside and he doesn’t care if he is the hunter or the hunted with nine games to go.

Brendan Rodgers looking forward to Celtic title test

The Celtic boss said [Daily Record]: “It’s all about how you finish the race. This is the point that matters. There was a lot of noise and everything around the beginning of the season for whatever reasons. But ultimately it’s part of the season and I will be interested if we win the league and the Scottish Cup what the thoughts are around that.

“But my only thought is for the team going into a real exciting bit, having these players back, and dealing with the pressure that comes with these last period of games.

“Being the hunter or the hunted doesn’t really matter to me. It’s about performing and getting to the end point where you want to finish.

“I’m only thinking about the game against St Johnstone. We are still in a really good position with what looks like is going to be a strong squad for the run in. I am really looking forward to that because it’s been good, a challenge in so many different ways, but that’s why we are here – to take on those challenges and come together and finish as strong as we possibly can.”

There’s zero room for error at Celtic at this stage. There are seven non-derby matches to go and realistically the Bhoys have to pick up all 21 of those points – it’s too late to rely on Rangers dropping points.

Then there are the two remaining league derbies themselves which, in fairness to Rodgers, is a fixture that has gone Celtic’s way so far this season.

If the manager can kick the team into gear for this final stretch then silverware is achievable – but the Hearts disaster really must be the last one of the season.

Let’s see how they do at Celtic Park on Saturday.

‘Tricky’: Dejected Craig Levein explains why he’s glad he doesn’t face ‘fantastic’ Celtic every week

Celtic’s 3-1 win over St Johnstone puts the pressure back on Rangers at the top of the table this afternoon.

Brendan Rodgers‘ side looked back to their best as they delivered a brilliant all-round performance that the Celtic fans have not seen for quite some time this season.

Their constant pressure at closing down the St Johnstone players and their attacking intent was reminiscent of the kind of football we witnessed under Ange Postecoglou.

And it was this type of performance that left St Johnstone manager, Craig Levein, admitting that he’s happy that he doesn’t need to face the Parkhead side every week.

Levein said [Sky Sports], “I thought without the ball we were pretty good. Whenever we did win it back, particularly in the first half, we just turned it over nearly every time probably doubling the amount of attacks that Celtic had through our own inadequacy to keep possession of the ball.

“And that just made it harder for us defensively. And if you can get periods of control in the game then what that means is that your defenders are constantly under pressure in here.

“Attack after attack after attack with players who it’s not as simple as just defending crosses, there’s a lot of different passes that are played in that created opportunities for the Celtic players and you fall asleep for a second and you find yourself in trouble.”

“But this isn’t a game that’s going to define our season. We’ve got a lot of matches to play that will involve many different types of mental problems for us.

“This is a tricky place to come with a big pitch, a great surface and the movement Celtic have got is fantastic.

“And that was really tiring. For us. But that’s not what we’re facing every week.”

Watching the interview you could see the abject disappointment on Levein’s face in the tone of his voice as Celtic blew his St Johnstone team away.

As I said earlier, this was a performance that we have not seen from a Brendan Rodgers side for pretty much of the whole season.

Their attacking flair, particularly down the right flank with Nicolas Kuhn, was exceptional. The German winger is really starting to show the signs of the player that persuaded Rodgers to splash £3m on the German winger in January.

The only blot on Celtic’s performance was the fact that we conceded a poor goal that should have been dealt with much better by the back four.

But overall, as Levein admits, Celtic were fantastic yesterday and it’s just a pity that the international break has come when it has.

Because looking at what Brendan Rodgers’ side has delivered recently, barring the Hearts result, this team is growing more and more with confidence at the business end of the season and it has just made this title run-in all the more interesting for the Celtic fans.