BBC pundit says Celtic star has ‘proven’ to Brendan Rodgers he shouldn’t have been dropped

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Celtic have a cigar in their mouth as they sit at the top of the Premiership table.

Brendan Rodgers watched his side end 2024 with a bang when Celtic put four goals past St Johnstone, days after doing the same to Motherwell.

That’s another three points for the champions and another clean sheet for Kasper Schmeichel, who has only conceded four goals in the Premiership this term and kept 14 clean sheets.

Celtic’s new number one has been outstanding since he replaced the retired Joe Hart in the summer, but he also has his backline to thank.

The back four has chopped and changed in recent weeks because of injuries and illness, but not many have been able to breach the defence, and when they did, they were on the end of a penalty shootout defeat.

One man who has forced his way back into the team is Liam Scales after being dethroned by summer capture, Auston Trusty.

Liam Sclaes has ‘proven’ to Brendan Rodgers that he shouldn’t have been dropped

Scales was one of Celtic’s best players last season after he produced the best campaign of his career.

But Rodgers needed to beef up his defence and it resulted in the Irishman eventually dropping to the bench, even if he wasn’t doing much wrong.

Pat Bonner feels that Scales has now ‘proven’ to his manager that he shouldn’t have been put on the bench in the first place given his recent performances, as he told BBC Radio Scotland. 

“When you don’t have the ball, especially in the European games now, then it’s about organisation, shape, it’s about getting the distances right,” said Bonner.

“So, all of that comes into it, in terms of keeping clean sheets. It’s not just the goalkeeper. That was the way I was brought up at Celtic also. Sometimes, you are exposed as a goalkeeper because of the way Celtic play. Pushing the fullbacks forward. Big spaces. You have to have centre halves, I think in the modern game, that are quick and can cover the ground. They have two. They maybe have three with Trusty also. 

“But Scales has done magnificently well to get back in again and to prove to Brendan Rodgers that he shouldn’t have been left out in the first place.”

Scales’ stats for Celtic after win over St Johnstone

Celtic’s trip to Rangers is around the corner and you presume Scales will keep his place in the XI, alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Trusty was taken off at half-time for the League Cup final win v Rangers, so perhaps that indicates what Rodgers will do for the Ibrox showdown.

Nonetheless, against St Johnstone, Scales was rated 7.5 for his performance after being rated 8.14, 7.19, 7.27 and 9.78 in his previous four starts.