Rodgers eases some fears over Celtic’s centre backs … but it shouldn’t matter anyway.

Earlier today, news emerged that Cameron Carter-Vickers and Austin Trusty hadn’t trained with the first team squad.

Naturally, this raised concerns that one or both might have picked up a knock that could rule them out for Sunday’s game. However, Brendan Rodgers addressed this, explaining that both players were simply feeling minor effects from the packed schedule. Instead of outdoor training, they did some light work inside, which is reassuring for those fearing the worst.

While this is positive news, I have to admit I won’t be overly worried if one or even both of them miss the game. With so many matches behind us and plenty still to come, this is precisely the kind of situation where squad depth and player rotation are invaluable. There’s no need to take risks with key players when we have viable options in reserve.

In my recent piece on Liam Scales, I mentioned that I expected him to play this weekend, regardless of the fitness of others, because it makes strategic sense.

Scales can fill in for Carter-Vickers, sparing him from the risks of playing on Kilmarnock’s artificial surface. And as for his partner in central defence, we have options in Nawrocki and Stephen Welsh. Although neither has had a wealth of recent game time, the focus for this match should be on keeping Kilmarnock pinned back and making the most of our chances up front. If we do that effectively, our defensive lineup won’t be a major concern.

This is exactly why we’ve built a robust squad with plenty of cover across the pitch.

Depth allows us to approach challenging away games on difficult surfaces without fear, confident in our ability to adapt. Our recent results at Kilmarnock have been strong, largely thanks to our aggressive, attacking play. I expect more of the same this weekend, and if we get it right, the outcome should take care of itself.

Even if both Carter-Vickers and Trustee are sidelined, we’re only really down one top-tier defender. Scales is now a dependable first-team player, someone we can rely on throughout this campaign. As for Welsh, although he wouldn’t be everyone’s first pick, he’s a capable squad player who can do a job for us at this level. He’d probably start over Nawrocki, given the circumstances.

The timing of the international break is also helpful. While we might dread these breaks, and I’m looking forward to this one about as much as the Trump inauguration, they offer valuable recovery time for players carrying slight injuries. If either Carter-Vickers or Trusty needs to sit out on Sunday, they’ll have a fortnight to regain full fitness, and, in the best-case scenario, they may even skip their national team duties, keeping them fresh for when we resume.

So, Rodgers has provided some reassurance here.

Both players’ fitness will be monitored closely, and he’ll make the final call on Sunday. But regardless of who takes the field, I remain confident in our chances to win. This team has the depth and flexibility to handle this challenge head-on, and this game will be won on what our forwards do, not on what theirs are likely to manage over the 90 minutes.