Gordon Dalziel thinks Brendan Rodgers has to drop his most trusted midfielder for Motherwell on Sunday.
The Hoops return to Scottish Premiership action at Parkhead as they aim to get back amongst the goals having scored just one in their last three outings.
Celtic lost 2-0 to Braga and performances all over the pitch bar Sebastian Tounekti’s were below the expected standards.
Captain Callum McGregor was poor as he – alongside Paulo Bernardo and Benjamin Nygren – failed to control the midfield across the encounter.
- READ MORE: Baffled Sky Sports pundit makes ‘different replays’ claim after Celtic VAR scandal vs Braga
Gordon Dalziel says Celtic’s Callum McGregor should be rested
McGregor hasn’t been his usual self this season and Dalziel feels he is struggling to get around the pitch because of the number of games he plays for Celtic.
And for that reason, the Open Goal pundit would like to see the skipper rested for a few games so that when he returns, there is a freshness about him again.
“Look, the reason I say this is quite simple for me. McGregor has played so much football and you’re demanding the same thing and he’s carrying that team left, right, and centre.
“Sometimes you just need that rest. I think it needs a change of energy in that middle of the park, right? I like Bernardo. I think Bernardo can go in there.
“Look, McGregor’s brilliant and he still will be brilliant. I’m not saying McGregor’s finished, let me tell you that right now. I just think the guy’s been overloaded with so much throughout all the seasons.
“You look at him just now and I just think he needs that wee couple of weeks’ rest, wee bit of freshness, back in there, and he becomes that McGregor again that goes and scores goals.
“I don’t care how good a football player you are. You cannot keep that standard there week in, week out. And you can see, for me, he looks a bit like he just needs that freshness.”
Does Paulo Bernardo deserve to start vs Motherwell?
Dalziel wants to see Bernardo playing the holding midfield role in place of McGregor, something he did in the victory over Livingston in between the Kairat Almaty games.
The Portuguese star held his own and is better suited than Arne Engels or Luke McCowan to play there – but will his display against Braga hinder his starting chances at the weekend?
Bernardo wasn’t exactly convincing and he probably needed a spectacular performance to oust McGregor against the Steelmen.
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