Celtic v Aberdeen: Lennon will stick with Mulgrew and Loovens

CHARLIE Mulgrew and Glenn Loovens will be given the chance to forge a long-term partnership at centre-half for Celtic after impressing Neil Lennon in the 1-1 draw with Stade Rennais on Thursday night.

The Celtic manager has rarely selected the same back four in consecutive games this season, partly through force of circumstance such as injuries, but also because he has not been convinced of what his best selection might be.

Now, having decided that he likes the look of the Mulgrew-Loovens combination, Lennon thinks he may at least have found half the solution to his team’s problems at the back, and will continue with the pairing against Aberdeen today.

“We’re just looking for the right recipe, really,” Lennon said after the Europa League tie in Brittany. “I was pleased with the two centre-halves. Continuity is important. We would like a balanced back four.”

Loovens, who came in for Daniel Majstorovic, has yet to show he can play consistently well, but that is not the case with Mulgrew, left, who Lennon thinks has now proved what his best position is after spells at full-back and in midfield.

“I would think centre-half is his best position,” the manager continued. “He gives us good balance being a lefty.

“He’s an excellent player. He’s developed very well over the past year, to the point where we’ve made him captain in Scott Brown’s absence.

“It’s testament to him that he was released by the club, came back and worked his way back to the position he’s in. He’s young and I think he wants to remain here. He is improving and we’ve been delighted with him.

“There are things he still needs to work on defensively, but there’s plenty of scope to work on them. He’s got a good mentality, very good composure, and his passing is very good. He’s got that range of passing that a lot of other centre-halves don’t.”

As for Loovens, the manager has no worries about his ability, but has had cause to question his application.

“He got an injury, he came back in, and then he just lost a bit of focus for some reason. That shouldn’t happen for a player of his experience,” said Lennon.

“Again we’re talking about consistency of performance, because we know he can do it.”