Brendan Rodgers should rest Celtic star against Livingston, he’s crucial for the Champions League

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Celtic return to Scottish Premiership this weekend with a home game against Livingston.

After a goalless draw with Kairat Almaty, the Hoops return to Celtic Park with hopes of continuing their 100 per cent record in the league.

The game is just three days before the second leg against Kairat but Celtic rejected the chance to postpone the Livingston game.

It means Brendan Rodgers has decisions to make with his side against David Martindale’s men in order to keep his players fresh.

• READ MORE: What 67 Hail Hail warned the Celtic board about just before Kairat Almaty kick-off on BBC Sportsound

Brendan Rodgers should rest Callum McGregor for Livingston clash

Dropping Callum McGregor sounds incredibly harsh, but his importance to the side cannot be overstated.

A fit and firing McGregor is unstoppable on the day, from the way he controls the tempo to also being a major goal threat.

Captain fantastic is now 32 though and preserving the legs is just as important, and with the second leg in the balance, keeping him in tip-top condition is vital.

There are plenty of other capable options in midfield that can step into his shoes and fill the void for one game and have enough to see Celtic over the line.

Who will replace Callum McGregor?

One of Luke McCowan or Paulo Bernardo feels like the most likely candidates to replace the former Scotland international.

Both can play in the role comfortably while McCowan has previous experience of leading a team from his spell as a captain from his time at Dundee.

Bernardo is a backup option according to Rodgers but still has a lot to offer and is certainly capable of influencing games for Celtic.

Arne Engels meanwhile would potentially work better in the number eight role that Benjamin Nygren plays instead.