| Venue: Celtic Park, Glasgow Date: Wednesday, 6 December Kick-off: 19:45 GMT |
| Coverage: Listen to radio commentary and follow live text coverage on the BBC Sport website & app |
Celtic’s fringe players can force their way into the starting line-up after making an impact against St Johnstone, says Brendan Rodgers.
Mikey Johnston was involved in Celtic’s first and second goals before Tomoki Iwata set up James Forrest’s late third in the 3-1 win.
Rodgers’ Scottish Premiership leaders host Hibernian on Wednesday.
“Competition is sometimes the best coach that you can have in the game,” Rodgers said.
“Guys like Mikey coming into the game yesterday was outstanding. Really direct, fast and was creative and worked hard. Jamesy gets his goal, Tomoki comes in and creates the third goal.
“What always takes my attention is training. I’m out there every day watching training and, when I see players train and work with that personality, they’ll always edge their way closer to my thinking.
“That is all they can do. You can’t get too disappointed if you’re working hard then hopefully those opportunities come for you.
“When the opportunities come, you have to take them. The start point for any team is the work. Once you put the work in and you play to the intensity and the speed you’re asked to play then you see the difference it makes.”
Summer defensive signings Gustaf Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki have struggled for appearances, due in part to the form of Liam Scales, while winger Marco Tilio, who also joined during the close season, made the bench last week against Motherwell but was not involved in Perth.
“He’s okay, he’s training away,” Rodgers said of the Australian. “Because we had some injuries, he got himself on to the bench. Other players had come back, so he found himself outside of that.”
Winger Luis Palma was replaced with Forrest at McDiarmid Park, but Rodgers revealed it was cramp rather than a hamstring injury, commenting: “Thankfully he’s okay.”
