In advance of the derby, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has shared some encouraging news regarding two top celtic players Liel Abada and Reo Hatate

Both Liel Abada and Reo Hatate are in the running to be included in the match squad for Celtic’s major derby match held at home against Rangers this coming weekend.

This information was provided by Brendan Rodgers during his post-match press conference at Dens Park, which took place after the Bhoys had defeated Dundee in the Scottish Premiership by a score of 3-0.

Since the month of September, Abada has been absent due to a thigh injury, and Hatate has been dealing with a hamstring issue.

Both players have completed their recovery spells at Lennoxtown, and there is now possible that they will return to action earlier than was originally anticipated on Saturday.

In the lead-up to the match against Rangers, Brendan Rodgers discusses Celtic.

“They could be around it,” the Celtic manager stated in an interview with The Scotsman. On the other hand, being prepared to begin is a completely different thing.

“Last night, when Liel performed his training with the group, he appeared to be doing incredibly well on the field. We kept him at home so that we could perform another exercise to strengthen him. His running and his objectives have been missed by us. During the second half of the season, he will be an outstanding asset to our team.

There is a decent level for Reo, but it is not a level to begin with. During the next few days, we will pay attention to how he is doing. When we get those two guys back, it will be like if we have two new players since he is put in a lot of effort in training and working hard.

When he is at his best, Hatate brings a sense of urgency and skill to the midfield that Celtic’s other players do not possess. On the other hand, Abada is so direct and such a goal danger in the opposition box.

During his first two seasons with the Bhoys, the Israeli winger scored a total of 28 goals, and he has demonstrated that he is very capable of scoring goals in these important derby matches.

Additionally, Hatate has been known to punish the Ibrox side in the past, and it seems that he enjoys a high-stakes event.

Even though it is highly doubtful that they will start after such a lengthy absence, it might be quite beneficial to have the pair available to come off the bench in the second half of the game.

It is also very encouraging to learn that they will have the opportunity to engage in intensive training during the winter break before starting to focus on making significant contributions during the second half of the season.

Latest news: After Dundee’s two goals from player, Brendan Rodgers makes a statement about the future role that Mikey Johnston will play for Celtic

At Dens Park, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was thrilled with the performance of winger Mikey Johnston, who scored twice to help Celtic to a 3-0 victory over Dundee. Johnston’s performance earned him praise from Rodgers.

Johnston entered the game with the intention of taking advantage of the fatigue that was present in the legs of the Dundee defense. He needed to create space to punish them with direct dribbling and combinations in the final third of the field.

However, his second goal was a strong finish, and the Ireland international went on to try to complete a hat trick. His first goal may be regarded the result of Trevor Carson’s mistake in goalkeeping, but his second goal was a solid finish.

It was his first goals for the Bhoys since the year 2019, and they came after he had been a starter for four games throughout the month of December.

In spite of the fact that he made a contribution on Boxing Day, it appears that starting from this point forward, he will be utilized as an impact substitute rather than being considered by the manager as a starting option.

Mikey Johnston’s Celtic role is being played by Brendan Rodgers.
“The challenge for Mikey was the fact that he had played a lot of games back to back, and he hasn’t done that much for Celtic,” the Celtic manager stated in an interview with The Scotsman that was published in December. It has the potential to boost his self-assurance.

A wonderful thing about Mikey is that he has maintained his fitness. We are continuing to work with him, and we believe that he has the potential to come into the game and make an impact. However, it is up to him to decide whether or not he will be a Celtic player. Both of the goals that he scored were a source of great satisfaction for us.

There is still no indication as to whether Johnston is interested in playing a role of that nature for the Bhoys. Until the summer of 2026, he is under contract with the team that is now the champions.

Recent interviews, on the other hand, have revealed that he has expressed a desire to be playing on a regular basis at this point in his career. Because the transfer window for the month of January is about to open, there is always the possibility that he will leave the club.

At Celtic Park, it is quite unlikely that he will ever be considered a star among the starting options. Despite the fact that he fulfills a few requirements for an impact substitute, he would have to be content with the fact that this is his position at the Bhoys.