‘Top class’ – Brendan Rodgers blown away by Celtic defender after Dundee win
Brendan Rodgers has admitted he has been blown away by Kristoffer Ajer after the 19-year-old turned in another good performance for Celtic in the 2-0 win over Dundee on Boxing Day.
The Norweigan has a formed a centre-half partnership with Dedryck Boyata in the last two games, and Rodgers is very pleased with the type of player Ajer is maturing into.
“He was top class today,” the Hoops manager said, as quoted by the Evening Times, “He’s recognising the space of when to go in, and give us the extra man.”
“I like a defender to be alert, on edge for the danger and he’s very much that.”
Since Ajer and Boyata came together in defence the Hoops have had two clean sheets, and would seem to be the partnership that will start in the upcoming game against Rangers at Celtic Park.
Ajer was signed for the Hoops in 2015 by former manager Ronny Deila, and spent last season on-loan at Kilmarnock.
He has started all three league games since the 4-0 defeat to Hearts which brought Celtic’s unbeaten domestic run to an end and the Hoops haven’t conceded a goal in any of those matches.
Celtic will go into Saturday’s Old Firm game at least eight points ahead of their old rivals following the 2-0 win over Dundee, a game which saw Leigh Griffiths return to the starting line-up and grab a goal.
Rangers can cut the gap to eight points if they defeat Motherwell at Ibrox in their game in hand on Wednesday night, they are currently 11 points behind the Hoops.
In other Celtic news, Chris Sutton has chosen his player of the season so far
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