Celtic now sit at the top of the Scottish Premiership after an impressive 3-0 win over Motherwell at Fir Park this afternoon.
Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic team selection for the Motherwell fixture certainly had the fans talking but in the end, the three-goal win meant that the Hoops boss’ Fir Park gamble paid off and Rodgers now sees his team resume their place at the top of the league table.
After a struggling start where Motherwell hit Kasper Schmeichel’s woodwork twice, Celtic slowly turned the screw and when Luke McCowan’s opening goal went in there was only ever going to be one winner.
With Aberdeen and Rangers both recording wins this weekend, the win keeps Celtic’s unbeaten run in the league going setting up a blockbuster midweek fixture calendar.
Brendan Rodgers addressed Celtic being ‘trapped’ in first half vs Motherwell
Rodgers told BBC Radio Scotland, “We expected that with Motherwell because they’ve got talented players and they’re a well-organized team.
“I thought first half we in the moments that we were good, it was when we were switching the play, obviously, against their system, 5-3-2, it’s so important that you keep switching the game.
“And I thought in the early stages of the game, we just, we trapped ourselves down one side without switching the game.
“The moments we did do that, then the spaces start to open up for us, and we’re switching, and then you’re switching it again, and that’s where, obviously, the first goal comes from.
“So we reiterated that at halftime, and then the second half, then it was really about managing the ball better because I think that without the switches in the first half, we are trying to make that killer pass just a fraction too early.
“But the second half, the players we excellent. We scored two really, really good goals, especially Ali’s goal, how we worked it.
“Adam’s goal, playing through, setting up until they were really, really well, carved out goals and had chances to maybe make it four or five by the end.”
Brendan Rodgers ‘not surprised’ with Luke McCowan’s ‘quality’ performance vs Motherwell
Luke McCowan got his first league start for Celtic and it seems he impressed Rodgers as the Celtic boss admits he’s not surprised at the level of performance by his £1m summer signing.
Rodgers continued, “Well, I think it’s the role of the players. They all have to contribute. You know, I’m not surprised. I’ve seen him here in Scotland now, and seeing what quality he has, what energy has, and his enthusiasm he has here at Celtic.
“But he’s now settled into the squad really well. He’s come off the bench, made contributions out of creating goals or scoring goals, and that was obviously the idea of putting him in today with Callum out. He’s a goal threat and he worked very, very hard.”
A blockbuster Wednesday night now awaits the Celtic fans as Dundee visit Parkhead and Rangers head to Pittodrie to face a resurgent Aberdeen side.
If either clubs drop points and Celtic secure a win, Wednesday has the potential to open up a proper gap at the top of the table as the fixture schedule heads towards another international break next month.
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