Pat Bonner says Brendan Rodgers made a mistake on Saturday which could cost Celtic dearly

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Pat Bonner believes that Brendan Rodgers made a mistake against St Johnstone that could end up being costly in the Scottish Premiership title race.

With the league table now tighter than it ever has been at any point over the last few seasons, the eventual winners could be decided on small margins.

One of those could be goal difference. As it stands, Celtic are +36 and Rangers are +37. And Pat Bonner believes that the substitution Brendan Rodgers made against St Johnstone could end up being crucial in deciding who wins the title.

After St Johnstone scored their goal, Bonner seemed bemused that Rodgers moved Iwata into the centre of defence instead of bringing on Gustaf Lagerbielke.

The Japanese midfielder was beaten to the ball by Connor Smith and Bonner believes that if the Swedish defender was in that position then the goal may have been prevented.

Bonner said [BBC Radio Scotland], “They made the change and took off Carter-Vickers. They didn’t put him on.

“They put Iwata back in that defensive role and he was the main guy in the middle of the pitch. And they changed that round that midfield with Holm coming on.

“And there was about three or four changes in not one change. So why would you not bring on Lagerbielke in the first place to replace Carter-Vickers?

“Then we start talking about goal difference [in the title race], it does matter.”

Celtic fans of my vintage will remember how two title races under Martin O’Neill were decided on the final day of the season. The sickening Helicopter Sunday episode still haunts me after Scott McDonald‘s Motherwell double cost us the title in 2005 in a 2-1 defeat.

They will also recall the infamous day when Celtic lost the league title on goal difference after defeating Kilmarnock 4-0 on the final day if the season in 2002 only for Rangers to steal it at the death with a 6-1 win over Dunfermline.

That was a painful day and I hope that daft goals like the one we saw on Saturday don’t come back to haunt us at the end of the season.