‘He got done’… Peter Grant unimpressed with what he’s seen from 26-year-old Celtic player this week

Celtic’s defence came into sharp focus once again this week after Cameron Carter-Vickers was at the centre of another injury scare.

Brendan Rodgers confirmed this week that the US defender was taken off as a precaution but that he also thinks the injury may not be as bad as first feared.

That has led to speculation that Nat Phillips may start for Celtic this afternoon as Rodgers could look to rest Carter-Vickers rather than play him on Kilmarnock’s artificial turf.

Phillips was picked to replace CCV on Wednesday night but what he offered certainly didn’t impress Peter Grant.

The former Celtic hero was critical of the on-loan Liverpool defender and was left less than impressed with his defending against the Edinburgh club.

Grant said [The Go Radio Football Show], “I think he could have made the game easier for himself. I think sometimes he ends up if there’s a pass to your right back or your right winger and I felt he kept going square to Scales.

“And anytime he passed forward, he took four or five Hibs players out of the game. And there was a couple of times he got done on the one v ones. They hit the post and Joe [Hart] had a good save if I remember right and there was twice he got stepped over.

“He looked a bit ring- rusty to be fair.”

‘Ring rusty’ is very diplomatic by Grant because I thought he just looked very poor. Phillips hasn’t impressed me one iota since his move from Merseyside and it baffles me that Rodgers sees fit to play him when he has over £7m worth of defenders in his squad.

Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images

Gustaf Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki were two of Celtic’s big-money signings and they have yet to feature of note this season in the Scottish Premiership.

Rodgers has made it clear this week why both are not in contention but surely it is wiser to give your own players a run out to prove themselves than starting a player who is most likely going to return to Liverpool in three weeks’ time?

We will find out soon enough when the team lines are published which defender Rodgers prefers as either a starter on the bench against Kilmarnock.

I would like to see either of Celtic’s two summer signings involved today but it is looking highly unlikely.

In other news, £3.75m player’s Celtic career could be over after what Brendan Rodgers did this week

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