Charlie Mulgrew has praised Brendan Rodgers for the way he rotates his Celtic squad, after the Hoops beat Aberdeen 5-1 at Pittodrie despite making nine changes to the starting XI.

Rodgers rested several regular starters but still saw his side dominate the match, showing just how strong and focused the whole squad is.

Mulgrew pointed out how Rodgers dropped Nicolas Kühn recently, even though he had been one of Celtic’s best players this season. Instead, James Forrest came in and took his chance, showing that nobody’s place is guaranteed.

He said: (The Warm Up), “Celtic are just relentless — aren’t they?

“That’s what I mean about Brendan Rodgers. We might look at it as a second-string team, but those players know there’s a chance of getting into that cup final team. There’s a chance of making the squad for the final day of the season because of the way he manages.

“I mean, he left Kühn out for two games — and this is a guy who was arguably one of the best players of the season. He had a bad patch, but Brendan wasn’t afraid to drop him. Other managers might have stuck with him, but he brought someone else in instead — it was James Forrest. He plays for a couple of games.

“Everybody knows when they step in — even the young lads — there’s a chance. It might not mean starting in the cup final, but it could be. If it’s between, say, Yang and Kühn, they both know that. Yang knows that if he plays well for 60 minutes, he could come on as a sub and impact the final.

“That shows a good manager. He’s got everybody fighting for the same thing.”

Forrest is one of Celtic’s most experienced players and has come back into the team when needed. His return is just one example of how Rodgers keeps his squad fresh. The same goes for Yang Hyun-jun, who’s had more game time recently.

Rodgers has rotated his front players often this season. It keeps competition high, and players stay motivated. Kühn was left out, worked hard, and came back strong. It’s the kind of response Rodgers wants from his squad.

The win over Aberdeen also showed how deep the squad is. Even with nine changes, the team looked like they had been playing together every week. That’s not easy to do, and it shows the standards Rodgers sets every day in training.

With just a few games left, Rodgers’ smart squad rotation could make the difference. He’s getting big performances from players who’ve not played every week, and it’s giving Celtic a big edge as they chase more silverware in the Scottish Cup final.