Sunday Mail (UK)

Bren plays it by hook

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is just fantastic. He maybe could have got another hat-trick – but that doesn’t matter.

“Like I’ve said before there is no individual bigger than the team and I always like to make sure, when I can, to think about the team.

“And giving Leigh the minutes at the end was the idea. He has been working very hard because you can’t go with one striker.

“I need to have two firing and as fit as they can possibly be. Moussa has been at a high level, of course, and Leigh is on his way back so that was 20 minutes for him to come back into it.”

Celtic’s 21st- straight league win kept them 24 points clear of Aberdeen at the top of the table and maintained their unbeaten domestic record.

Rodgers said: “I was really pleased with the performanc­e.

“The control of the game was very good, particular­ly second half.

“The boys who came into the team, it shows you the level of concentrat­ion they have on a daily basis.

“Cristian Gamboa was involved today and did very well. Erik Sviatchenk­o came in as well. He wasn’t due to start in the game. Jozo Simunovic had an injury in training. We left him 24 hours but he wasn’t quite right so Erik came in at a few hours’ notice – and was absolutely outstandin­g.”

The only negative for Rodgers came with the ninth-minute knee injury to James Forrest in a tackle from Danny Redmond that saw the winger limp off.

But t he ma n a g e r exonerated the Accies playmaker of any blame.

Rodgers said: “Listen it was unfortunat­e for James. It was a really good challenge by the boy, it was strong and aggressive.

“I think it was his second touch – it takes the ball away from him a little bit so he’s over-stretching.

“As he stretches and wins the ball, unfortunat­ely he hurts his knee. We’ll see how he is in a couple of days.”

 ??  ?? ERIK outstandin­g shift
ERIK outstandin­g shift
 ??  ??

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