Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers will be delighted with the character his side showed against Motherwell at the weekend despite the absence of captain Callum McGregor.
Unfortunately, Callum McGregor missed out for Celtic due to a slight discomfort in his adductor, which prompted the Irishman to take no chances over his fitness amid the volume of games he has featured in of late.
Realistically, his omission didn’t make too much difference as the Bhoys swept aside Motherwell to move back to the top of the Scottish Premiership despite Aberdeen’s victory against Dundee United on Saturday.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  CelticCeltic | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 3 | 24 | 25 |
| 2 |  AberdeenAberdeen | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 25 |
| 3 |  RangersRangers | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 19 |
| 4 |  Dundee UtdDundee Utd | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 15 |
Relying on others to drive Celtic forward, Brendan Rodgers showed the way for his side to function efficiently without their captain when required, which is always a good indicator of the other leaders in the dressing room.
Now, the Irishman has pointed out the trio he thought stood out on that front as his side move forward after taking maximum points at Fir Park.
Brendan Rodgers complements three Celtic leaders vs Motherwell
Speaking after the match, Rodgers paid tribute to Celtic trio Auston Trusty, Liam Scales and Alex Valle for their influence against Motherwell, labelling them ‘modern leaders’ amid their respective displays last Sunday.
He stated [The Celtic Way]: “I think it’s one of the things with this squad, they are a very honest group, a very open group. They all know what it means to play for Celtic.
“They all know how vital it is that you take that lead role when you come in to play. Ali got a great goal and he was really inspirational in his performance.
“You look at Scales, and Auston Trusty as well, they were really strong. And Alex Valle, he’s just turned 20 years of age, he’s coming in and starting to play a lot of games now. So, yes, it goes right the way through the team.
“A lot of the modern leaders now, they’re not like the old ones. They’re very communicative and speak a lot. I’m very lucky to have that in my changing room.”
Celtic have character by the bucketload this season
While others would’ve found it easier to falter after a bruising Celtic draw with Atalanta last midweek, the Bhoys dug in to show style and substance against a Motherwell side who have started the campaign in decent form.
The likes of Luke McCowan showed he can mix it with anyone in the midfield. Meanwhile, trusted regulars like Alistair Johnston and Reo Hatate helped to sustain domination against Stuart Kettlewell’s outfit.
Ultimately, tougher tests are set to come for Celtic as the fixture schedule piles up, but the character they have shown so far this term is remarkable.
Handling the expectation of winning is never linear in football, though this dressing room seem to have a great knack of getting themselves consistently over the line.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
