By Harry Sykes
Kris Common hailed teenage defender Calvin Miller for a “man of the match” display in Celtic’s 2-0 league win against Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Miller, 19, was surprisingly named in the Hoops starting XI for the lunchtime clash at Rugby Park as Brendan Rodgers rang the changes in the wake of the midweek Champions League demolition of Astanta.
Youngsters Anthony Ralston, Kristoffer Ajer and Calvin Miller come into the defence while experienced midfielders Stuart Armstrong and Callum McGregor lined up in midfield, along with summer signing Kundai Benyu.
Mikael Lustig, Nir Bitton, Olivier Ntcham, Scott Sinclair and Leigh Griffiths dropped to the bench and Jozo Simunovic did not feature.
Goals from James Forrest and McGregor sealed the win for the visitors as they took their points haul for the new season to nine from three matches.
Miller, who was a striker in the Scotland youth teams, was deployed at left-back in place of Kieran Tierney, who moved across to centre-back, where he was partnered by Ajer.
“For me, he was man of the match,” former Celtic playmaker Commons said of Miller to Sky Sports’ live coverage of the fixture immediately afterwards. “He was on the front foot, he got in great areas, he put some beautiful balls into the box.
“He’s a real, real player that you have to keep an eye on.”
It was only Glasgow-born Miller’s fourth senior appearance for Celtic after graduating from their youth ranks.
In other Celtic transfer news, the odds have been slashed on the Scottish giants signing a West Ham big-money player.
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