Callum McGregor has returned to the fold for Celtic in recent weeks, culminating in two starts in the last two games.
While his quality is undoubted, his performances of late have been a cause for concern. The skipper doesn’t look fully fit and at Dens Park yesterday, he was noticeably off the pace.
He was replaced just after the hour mark by Tomoki Iwata who shored things up in the middle of the park.
The Japan internationalist protected the back four well and helped retain the ball much more than McGregor.
Iwata was rather harshly dropped and the decision from Brendan Rodgers to play the skipper over him recently hasn’t proved dividends.
Given the former Yokohama F. Marinos man made a positive impact on Sunday and arguably offered more than McGregor, it will be intriguing to see how the gaffer manages the situation going forward.
Celtic have had issues in the past when the captain has been absent but it is telling when there is a case for him now not to play at a pivotal part of the season.
It is all down to fitness but despite this, Iwata thinks taking the buck from his leader is simple. He said: [RecordSport] “I don’t feel that it’s difficult to replace Callum.
“I just look at him as my teammate and he’s a guy I can learn from. He’s a fantastic player who can take my game to another level.
“I respect him so much as a team-mate. He’s a top player for this club.”
