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Brendan Rodgers delighted with youth progress at Celtic

:Headline: Brendan Rodgers delighted with youth progress at Celtic: ID:345005: from db_amp
Teenage winger Mikey Johnston scored twice against Dundee.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers spoke of the "great joy" he gets from seeing young players break through after two academy graduates excelled in Saturday's 3-0 home win over Dundee at Parkhead.

With centre-forward Odsonne Edouard out injured, 19-year-old winger Mikey Johnston deputised and scored a brace, a drive and a header, before defender Filip Benkovic added a third in a one-side affair.

It was Johnston's second league start of the season after coming off the bench to score in the 3-0 win against Motherwell in midweek where right-back Anthony Ralston, who returned to the club after a loan spell with Dundee United last season, scored in his first start of the campaign.

Ralston, 20, struck a post against the Dens Park side as the league leaders turned in a performance that left Rodgers more than satisfied and paying tribute to the club's youth system.

The Northern Irishman said: "It is great to see that growth with young players.

"That's why sometimes I never get too down with injuries because it always opens the door for someone else.

"If it is young players, that is part of the vision here.

"We want to win titles, we want to play an aggressive, attacking way of football, we want to win and we want to do it with as many of the young players from the academy base.

"We have some regulars (from the academy) in the team for a number of years and now you can see these guys coming through as well.

"If they are not starting they will certainly be covering and working their way into becoming starters, I'm sure.

"So it gives you great joy when you see that development, both technically and tactically.

"Hopefully there will be more of the younger boys to come in the coming years."

Kieran Tierney missed out again with a hip injury but Rodgers is confident that the left-back will be fit for the trip to Aberdeen on Boxing Day and the Old Firm game against Rangers at Ibrox on December 29.

Rodgers is also hoping that Edouard (abductor), Mikael Lustig (concussion) and Dedryck Boyata (hamstring) are back for the Pittodrie game.

"That is the plan", said the former Swansea City and Liverpool boss.

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic330087285987
2RangersRangers430184295584
3Hearts311149371266
4Kilmarnock31114538755
5St Mirren31024247-546
6Dundee40044867-1941
Relegation Group
1Aberdeen33004149-844
2Motherwell32015554143
3Hibernian31024858-1042
4Ross County31023564-2933
5St Johnstone30032652-2631
RLivingston32012764-3724
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
RLivingston3339212259-3718
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