Rodgers insists there is unity at Celtic despite the Hoops’ 2-1 defeat at Kilmarnock on Sunday, which left them with 10 points from six Ladbrokes Premiership games and confirmed their worst start to a league campaign in 20 years.

Kris Boyd was quoted as saying he believed there is “a divide in the Celtic dressing-room” after sitting on the Killie bench at the weekend.

But the Celtic boss dismissed the veteran striker’s comments, saying: “Kris is probably best suited trying to get himself into the Kilmarnock team to get playing and we will concentrate on our own job in here.”

Brendan Rodgers has hit back at Kris Boyd after his 'dressing room divide' comments. Pictures: SNS Group

Ahead of the Betfred Cup quarter-final against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday the Northern Irishman, who has won six competitions since he arrived at Parkhead in 2016, said: “When teams lose games the logic used to be and clearly still is, there is a split in the dressing room.

“Sometimes there is no plan B - that is another accusation. For us, we are very much unified as a club.

“We’ve set such a high standard over these last couple of seasons. Yes, we haven’t started as well as we wanted in our season but we are very much together.”

Rodgers added: “It is something I am very calm with. We have a blueprint which is very stable in terms of the way we play football and normally when we execute that - which we have shown - we have a winning strategy.

“Sometimes we won’t win games and we have to accept that. There is a bit of heat that comes with that but what is very important is that you stay calm and unified and that is very much what we are.”

Brendan Rodgers: Kris Boyd should focus on Kilmarnock place, not Celtic