Injury to Odsonne Edouard takes gloss off comfortable Celtic win over Motherwell

BRENDAN RODGERS was left sweating on the fitness Odsonne Edouard after Celtic moved to the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership with a 3-0 home win over Motherwell.

The 20-year-old – Rodgers’ only recognised striker – went off with an abductor problem after the Hoops had taken a two-goal lead in the first-half through Anthony Ralston, in his first outing of the season, and a Scott Sinclair penalty.

Edouard’s replacement, 19-year-old Mikey Johnston, scored his first Celtic goal just before the interval to take the Parkhead side one point above Rangers, who drew 0-0 at Hibernian, and two above Kilmarnock.

Rodgers was left with a potential headache due to the injury to Edouard, with Dundee, Aberdeen and Rangers to come before the January transfer window opens.

The Northern Irishman said: “He felt it tight around his abductor, we will assess that in the next 24 hours.

“There’s not a great deal you can do.

“It has been unfortunate with Odsonne, he has had to play a lot more games than I wanted him to play because of him being the only striker

“But we have other players that can fill in and we can always come up with a team that we think can get a result but hopefully he will be okay.

“It is getting to the end of an exhausting period for us but the players were bright when they had to be, scored two very good goals and a piece of skill to get us the penalty.

“In the second half we controlled the game and it was great to see the young players coming in and making a contribution.

“I thought Ralston was outstanding. Mikey finished off a really good move, it was great for the two young boys. It was a good night overall.”

Rodgers revealed that skipper Scott Brown, making his 500th appearance for Celtic, was given a round of applause in the dressing room afterwards.

He said: “To have played 500 games for Celtic is a real testament to your professionalism, that perseverance and persistence to look after yourself and the actual quality to play.

“You see what he is now. He controls the game, him and Callum (McGregor) were very good in there ticking the game over and being aggressive when he had to be but he was fantastic.”

Motherwell remain in ninth place and have St Mirren, Kilmarnock and Hamilton before the end of the year.

Boss Stephen Robinson said: “It was frustrating. We were good for 20 minutes or so, Celtic struggled to break us down.

“We weren’t brave enough when we got on the ball, our midfield wasn’t brave enough, but then Allan Campbell got on in the second half and was terrific. He showed no fear against his opponents.

“We were done by two individual errors. We don’t go with the runner at the first and then go to ground in the tackle for the second.

“The third I have to say was a magnificent finish.

“We know have three big games coming up which will dictate whether we are looking up or down.”