Celtic to continue rotating talented trio at centre-back

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is happy to keep rotating Jozo Simunovic and Kolo Toure to manage their workload.

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Kolo Toure sat out Sunday's Old Firm semi-final win over Celtic. Picture: SNSKolo Toure sat out Sunday's Old Firm semi-final win over Celtic. Picture: SNS
Kolo Toure sat out Sunday's Old Firm semi-final win over Celtic. Picture: SNS

The pair have been taking it in turns to partner Erik Sviatchenko in central defence.

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Simunovic has impressed Rodgers since his recent return from an eight-month lay-off from a knee injury and gave an assured display in Sunday’s Betfred Cup semi-final win over Rangers, while 35-year-old Toure has been solid apart from two costly errors against Borussia Monchengladbach last week.

With a return trip to Germany coming after Ladbrokes Premiership games away to Ross County and Aberdeen in the next seven days, Rodgers will utilise both players.

Rodgers said: “Erik has been outstanding at centre-half, he is one you can see great improvements in each day as he builds his technique and tactical ability.

“He has been great, Mikael Lustig and Kieran Tierney have been regulars, both of those have been outstanding.

“The little change has been with Kolo and Jozo. Jozo, I believe, will be a top-class talent, but has been out for a long time, so it’s about managing his games. You can’t afford when you have been out so long, to throw someone in to three games a week with the intensity and tempo we try to play at.

“But he is a class act, on Sunday he was composed and calm and showed great qualities.

“Kolo has come in with great experience, played in big games for us and done really well, but it’s about managing his game time.

“The defence have kept four clean sheets in six or seven games so they are improving that stability within the team.”

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