BRENDAN RODGERS did his Ibrox counterpart Philippe Clement a massive favour when he bought Luke McCowan from Dundee in a £1million deadline-day switch.
With the influential captain and midfielder in the team, the Dens Park side went eight games unbeaten at the start of the season.
Since the dynamic onfield leader left Tayside, Tony Docherty’s club have lost two on the bounce.
They went down 2-0 to Ross County in Dingwall in the Premiership last weekend and flopped out of the Premier Sports League Cup in Govan last night as they succumbed to a 3-0 loss.
FROM TAYSIDE TO PARADISE…Luke McCowan arrived at his boyhood idols on deadline day.
It’s not just a coincidence Dundee have struggled since they sold their pivotal figure. They were tame against Clement’s side and weren’t helped with the award of a soft penalty-kick to the hosts shortly after the turnaround.
The Ibrox club were already leading 1-0 following a Cyriel Dessers goal when the Nigerian international frontman went down theatrically to entice referee Chris Graham to point to the spot.
James Tavernier once again was delighted to accept the award and fired past Trevor Carson. Dessers added a third in the 66th minute.
Clement’s outfit are now in today’s semi-final draw alongside Motherwell, who overcame Dundee United 2-1 with a last-gasp penalty-kick from Lennon Miller on Friday night and Aberdeen who thumped Spartans 4-0.
The fourth-tier minnows knocked out top-flight Ross County in the previous round were never in with a chance of saging an action replay as the Dons made no mistake with goals from Pape Gueye, Kevin Nisbet, Leighton Clarkson and Ester Sokler.
Celtic go into their quarter-final meeting against Championship side Falkirk at Parkhead this afternoon without the Cup-tied McCowan.
LEAGUE CUP SPECIALISTS…Callum McGregor holds aloft the silverware after the 2-1 win over the Ibrox club in February 2023.
The Hoops have dominated the competition in recent seasons with seven trophy wins over the last decade.
The League Cup was the one that got away in Rodgers’ comeback campaign after a 1-0 loss at the first hurdle against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in August last year.
They had to settle for the Premiership title and Scottish Cup double.
The last-four ballot wil be made immediately after the action in the east end of Glasgow today. The exact time of the draw will depend on whether the match goes to extra-time and penalties.
Semi-final ties are due to be played on the weekend of November 2/3 with the Cup Final at Hampden scheduled for Sunday, December 15.
*DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Falkirk at Parkhead this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
