Why Benjamin Nygren proved to Brendan Rodgers that he has to start for Celtic

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Benjamin Nygren was one of those who dropped out of the starting XI for Celtic’s win against Motherwell.

Nygren was named on the bench days after playing in Celtic’s loss against Braga in the Europa League, perhaps to the surprise of some.

The Sweden international has been one of the better players in the early stages of the season, with Craig Moore hailing Nygren’s arrival for his early-season impact.

The 24-year-old was introduced to the game when the Hoops were 2-1 down and by the end of it, it was 3-2.

He was a big part of that, and sent a huge message to Brendan Rodgers.

• READ MORE: Celtic player ratings vs Motherwell as only one player scores more than 6/10 despite late win

Benjamin Nygren is a nailed-on starter for Celtic

Luke McCowan was given the nod ahead of Nygren for the game, but was withdrawn after failing to make an impact.

Within minutes of being on the pitch, Nygren was already creating chances, even if he did squander a golden opportunity.

As he was at the centre of everything, it was only a matter of time before he would have a huge role to play. He did that by scoring the equaliser.

It is no coincidence that the Bhoys looked more lively and threatening in attack when Nygren was subbed on.

That was his third of the season and he currently leads the way in the scoring charts for the Hoops.

There are things that he can improve, of course, but it is a non-negotiable that he should be the starting midfielder.

Benjamin Nygren stats vs Motherwell

His 30-minute impact signalled the turning point in the game, and the stats back it up to show how effective he was.

In addition to his goal, the midfielder did his defensive duties too, with Sofascore revealing that he won all of his ground duels.

Having a midfielder who can contribute in a number of areas is only welcome news for Rodgers and bodes well for the rest of the season.