The welcome return of Cameron Carter-Vickers in the 68th minute against Motherwell will have delighted Brendan Rodgers and Celtic fans alike.
The USA international missed seven games with injury (of which Celtic only won four) and will be keen to make up for lost time by regaining his place in the starting XI ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.
Just one problem though. Three into two doesn’t go!
As recently as a week ago this wouldn’t have been a topic of much debate, but the sudden emergence of Auston Trusty as a genuine contender against Atalanta will have given the manager plenty to think about for the upcoming matches.
And with Liam Scales continuing to defy the doubters, does Carter-Vickers walk straight back into the side?
The next three games offer a variety of challenges as we take on Dundee in the Premiership, Aberdeen in the League Cup, and then Leipzig in the Champions League.
And though it can be good to rotate plyers in certain areas of the park, Rodgers will be keen to find consistency within his back four as he looks to come through this latest run of games unscathed.
In truth, it is exactly the kind of selection ‘headache’ any manager wants, and it is the reason why Celtic shelled out £6m to bring Trusty to the club in the summer.
I have a feeling that while Rodgers will give Wednesday night’s clash with Dundee the respect it deserves, he’ll prioritise the Aberdeen and Leipzig fixtures that follow, and I’d expect to see Carter-Vickers – if he remains fit – start both those games.
And if pushed then it’ll be Scales – a virtual ever-present under Rodgers second time around – who’ll join him in the centre of defence.
Rodgers has been quoted as saying that competition is often the best coach, and on that basis he’s now getting exactly what he wants thanks to some smart summer recruitment.
However, if you’re under any illusions as to just how important Carter-Vickers is to this Celtic side, it’s worth noting he ended the game at Fir Park sporting the captain’s armband as he went to thank the travelling support for their backing.
And in the absence of Callum McGregor it’s not an item our number 20 will be looking to give up any time soon.
Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange
