BRENDAN RODGERS has warned his Celtic players they will have to be firing on all cylinders when they face Dundee at Parkhead tomorrow night.
The champions were alarmingly off the pace in the first 45 minutes as they trailed Motherwell 1-0 at Fir Park at the interval.
A flying header from Adam Idah, who replaced Kyogo Furuhashi, six minutes after the turnaround got the side back on track and the on-loan Norwich City striker claimed a second in stoppage-time before Luis Palma knocked in the third.
Rodgers insists the Hoops cannot afford a false start against Tony Docherty’s men as they go in search of their third successive victory over the Dens Park outfit this season after two back-to-back 3-0 triumphs.
TRUE GRIT…Brendan Rodgers responds to Adam Idah’s headed equaliser.
The Irishman said: “I know we’ve played well in the two games against them, particularly the second game up there, but Tony’s got the team organised really well.
“They’ve been flexible in the systems and how they play. They started off with a back five and more recently adapting between a back four and a back five.
“He’s done well and they’ve got some very good players, so, again, we have to be at the top of our game to get a result.
“We have 11 games to go now and you really have to focus on one game at a time – focus on the performance as much as anything. Everyone wants to win and everyone wants to perform well.
“Before that, it’s that belief, and I think you saw that in this team at the weekend – that belief that they can go and get the result and, thankfully, we did.”
DIDN’T THEY DO WELL…Brendan Rodgers acknowledges the away support at the end of a rousing comeback along with Alistair Johnston, Liam Scales, Daizen Maeda and Greg Taylor.
Obviously, Rodgers was satisfied with his team’s response in the second-half at Fir Park and has told his players he wants to see that determination tomorrow night.
Rodgers, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “It was a very good win for us in the end – and I say that because the game is 90-plus minutes now.
“We didn’t start the game so well in the first-half, but it was really about staying calm at half-time and then just connecting our game again.
“And I thought in the second-half, especially when Cameron Carter-Vickers came on, there was nothing went in behind and the two worked really well together, and then that allows you to sustain the attacks then.
“We scored some very good goals and you see the unity in the team and how together they are.
“It’s another victory for us, a very important win, but now we get ready for our next game.”
THREE CHEERS…Matt O’Riley and Callum McGregor congratulate Luis Palma after the Honduran had claimed the third and final goal at Fir Park.
Rodgers also took the opportunity to shut down the media stories which had been doing the rounds after he had called BBC Scotland’s reporter Jane Lewis “good girl” at the end of the post-match interview.
The gaffer added: “I found it saddening as much as anything because, one, I’m not that type of person and I could never be that because that’s not how I’m built.
“But it also saddened me for the society now, because people are just looking and trying to find ways to somehow bring you down if they can, and it’s not nice.
“I’ve spoken to Jane and she wasn’t offended. We had a laugh about it. She will continue to ask me awkward questions, I’m sure, but I see her every week and we have good relations like I have with most people in my life, whether that’s professional or social.”
The talking will stop in the east end of Glasgow tomorrow night as Celtic focus on three points from difficult opponents.
