BRENDAN RODGERS led Celtic to the Premiership title in his debut season of 2016/17 as the Hoops stormed through the campaign without a solitary defeat on their way to a phenomenal clean sweep.
He piloted the club to back-to-back trebles in his first stint and a league and Cup double in his comeback crusade.
Rodgers saw his serial winners lift the first piece of silverware up for grabs this time around with the Premier Sports League Cup success in the penalty-kick shoot out triumph over Philippe Clement’s also-rans a week ago.
That took the Irishman’s trophy haul of fame to 10 and they can move ELEVEN points clear at the Premiership pinnacle this afternoon.
THREE CHEERS ON TAYSIDE…Callum McGregor, Josip Juranovic and Matt O’Riley celebrate the Croatian defender’s rare goal in the 9-0 win at Tannadice in August 2022.
To achieve that accomplishment, Rodgers will have to propel his players to victory over Dundee United in today’s midday meeting at Tannadice.
Astoundingly, that is a feat the 51-year-old elite manager has never managed before.
Today will see him make his debut in the Tayside club’s away dug-out – and he will know the recent history of the Parkhead club at the venue.
He will be aware his predecessor Ange Postecoglou enjoyed a remarkable 9-0 victory over United at the ground on the afternoon of August 28 2022.
The poor old hosts were on the receiving end of a landslide as Kyogo Furuhashi and Liel Abada both fired in hat-tricks with Filipe Jota, Josip Juranovic and Carl Starfelt joining in the romp.
The Hoops returned on January 29 the following year to win 2-0 with strikes from Jota and Aaron Mooy (pen).
JOY BHOYS…Filipe Jota is congratulated by Alistair Johnston, Carl Starfelt and Aaron Mooy after his opener in the 2-0 win at Tannadice in January 2023.
Astonishingly, while the Hoops celebrated nine going in five months earlier, nine have now gone from the team that clinched that victory on Tayside almost two years ago.
Of the 16 players utilised in that encounter, Joe Hart, David Turnbull, Matt O’Riley, Sead Haksabanovic, Oh Hyeun-gyu, Starfelt, Mooy, Abada and Jota have exited the champions.
The survivors are Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Greg Taylor, Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate, Kyogo and Daizen Maeda.
It’s time for a new chapter in Brendan Rodgers’ career at Celtic!
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report and best action images from Dundee United v Celtic this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
