BBC pundit says Celtic star has now lost his place in Brendan Rodgers’ XI because of teammate

On By Pranco

Celtic are unstoppable at the moment.

It’s been quite a weekend Brendan Rodgers and his players after returning from the final international break of 2024 with a bang.

Celtic secured a 4-1 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday evening with a brilliant second half performance.

But things got better with second place Aberdeen lose to St Mirren to help the Bhoys extend a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League ahead of a grueling winter spell.

To make the laugh even bigger, Rangers drew at home against Dundee United and they are now 11 points behind the champions of Scotland.

Celtic’s strength on the bench is frightening – and that was proven by Adam Idah scoring a brace against Hearts – but the starting XI is even better.

Allan Preston elaborated on that as he praised and applauded what Rodgers has at his disposal.

Celtic told Auston Trusty he would replace Liam Scales in Brendan Rodgers’ XI

Liam Scales was one of them Celtic most reliable players from last season, but fast forward to the present and he is on the bench.

Not because Scales did anything wrong, but simply because of the quality summer signing Auston reliable brought to the table.

Preston shared that he predicted and expected Trusty to replace Scales in the XI weeks ago and now it has happened.

The former Hearts man said the American has been ‘magnificent’ and praised Rodgers as someone who takes players to the next level, he told the Scottish Football Podcast.

England, United Kingdom - November 17, 2024; Kasey McAteer, right, and Liam Scales of Ireland for the UEFA Nations League B Group 2...
Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images

“He is a good manager who knows how to get the best out of players and improve players,” said Preston. “I sit and watch, it’s amazing to see. As a Hearts fan it’s not great.

“But as a footballer you say: ‘look at Johnston, Taylor comes in, turns and makes an extra midfielder’. Look at the runs Kyogo makes between the two centre-halves. Look at Kuhn, he falls short of going long. Taking people inside and out. Maeda on the left. An incredible athlete going up and down the field.

“Then I had a chat at the back with Pat (Bonner) earlier when we were at St Johnstone, I said to you ‘Trusty will play before Scales’. I believe he would, and he did. And he has been brilliant. Libras will have an uphill battle to get back in.”

Reliable stats for Celtic this season

Trusty came with a bit of fame having come through at Arsenal and playing with Sheffield United in the Premier League.

His debut in the League Cup was a bit of a struggle, but that was a matter of shaking off the cobwebs and now he is proving his worth.

WhoScored has rated his performances in the Premier League alone at 7.27 and a respectable 6.56 in Europe’s elite competition.

Tournament Apps Tackles Below Clearly GemPass Long ball PS% AntennasWon Judgement
Premiership 7 1.6 1.6 0.7 110.1 3.3 94.6 4 7.27
Champions League 3(1) 3.3 0.3 0.5 49.8 0.5 96 0.8 6.56

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