RODGERS BACKING HIS BIG-GAME FRENCH ACE
BRENDAN RODGERS has backed Moussa Dembele to again display his big-game credentials when Rangers return to Celtic Park tomorrow. The French youngster struck a hat-trick in the Ibrox side’s last visit to Parkhead, scoring once in each of Celtic’s two subsequent victories over their rivals. Dembele also scored three times in the Champions League group stage and has netted on each of his two appearances at Hampden. ‘Moussa is a big-game player and that’s why he’ll have a really good career,’ said Rodgers. ‘He’s 20 years of age but he knows what he is. He still has work to do but he always turns up in the big games because he has that motivation. ‘That’s what big players do — they live for the big games and you can see it in him. Having worked with senior players at that level before, you need that personality, belief in abundance and he has it.’ Rodgers insists Dembele is not tense ahead of these occasions, with that cool demeanour reflected in his finishing. ‘He doesn’t change — he’s relaxed,’ added the Celtic manager. ‘When you saw him walk off the pitch recently people thought he was in the huff but that’s how he walks. He’s just casual.’ Dembele suffered something of an early-winter drought, scoring just once between November 1 and Christmas Eve. Revitalised by a winter training camp in Dubai, he has since netted 13 times in 2017 to raise his season’s tally to 32. ‘December was cold and bleak with nine hard games,’ said Rodgers. ‘January in Dubai gave him some sunshine and a vitamin D boost.’