BRENDAN RODGERS suffered his first defeat in domestic Cup football in 25 games at Rugby Park in August last year.
The second time-around Celtic boss saw his 100 per cent record obliterated in a lacklustre performance from his team as they succumbed 1-0 to a 59th-minute strike from Kilmarnock forward Marley Watkins.
The Parkhead club were the holders as they went into the League Cup confrontation hoping to lift the silverware for the seventh time in eight seasons.
However, it all went wrong on an afternoon Maik Nawrocki, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Odin Holm and Yang Hyun-gyu made early appearances following their summer arrivals.
DOWN – AND HEADING OUT…Guastaf Lagerbielke is crestfallen on his Celtic debut as Kilmarnock win 1-0 at Rugby Park in August last year. The Swede is now on loan at FC Twente.
Thankfully, Rodgers, who had won three League Cups and two Scottish Cups in his first stint at Celtic, got the team back on track and delivered a league and Cup double to seal his return to the east end of Glasgow.
Changes were made after the early-season collapse and six who performed that afternoon won’t be available for tomorrow afternoon’s Premiership match at the same venue.
Popular keeper Joe Hart has, of course, retired at 37 after picking up seven medals in his three years at the club while Swedish international centre-back Lagerbielke, bought from Elfsborg for £3million, is on a season-long loan at FC Twente.
David Turnbull, a 64th-minute replacement for Holm, joined Cardiff City in a £2million switch in January while winger Sead Haksabanovic made only one more appearance before moving to Stoke City on a temporary transfer.
HEADING FOR THE EXIT…Sead Haksabanovic is tackled by Killie defender Lewis Mayo before his loan move to Stoke City later in the month.
The Swedish-born raider, who cost £1.7million from Rubin Kazan, was snapped up by Malmo for a similar fee in July.
Matt O’Riley, who had been replaced by Haksabanovic in the 75th minute against Killie, agreed a record £25million-plus switch to Brighton in late August.
Israel international flanker Liel Abada, who cost £3.5million from Maccabi Petah Tikva in the summer of 2021, had earlier sealed an £8million move to MLS outfit Charlotte FC in March.
FOR THE RECORD: The team was: Hart; Ralston, Nawrocki, Lagerbielke, Taylor; Holm (sub: Turnbull 64), McGregor, O’Riley (sub: Haksabanovic 75); Abada (sub: Yang 64), Kyogo and Maeda.
