Cameron Carter-Vickers: Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers won’t force defender’s return as Auston Trusty ‘shows value’

Cameron Carter-Vickers has made important strides in his comeback attempts but Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will continue to be cautious over the defender following Auston Trusty’s “immense” display in Italy.

Carter-Vickers and Greg Taylor are pushing to return from toe and calf injuries respectively ahead of Sunday’s William Hill Premiership encounter with Motherwell at Fir Park.

Carter-Vickers has now missed six games, but Trusty delivered his best performance in a Celtic jersey as the Hoops held Europa League holders Atalanta to a goalless Champions League draw on Wednesday.

Rodgers said: “We’ve got Cam back training with the squad, which is good news. Greg Taylor as well. So, one more day to go and then we’ll see how they are, but hopefully they’ll be involved in the game.

“We’d like them to be available, I think that’s what’s important. So, it gives us options, which is what you want as a coach. But obviously the team, defensively, was outstanding the other night.

“But to have those two guys back, who are very important players for us, will be good.”

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Carter-Vickers trained before the last two games, but did not make the squad.

Rodgers said: “Certainly when we were away it was the best he’d felt. So he’s obviously done some training back here.

“We’re just being careful and listening to him really to not want to force it if it’s not right. But he looked very good earlier and he’s been that throughout this week. So fingers crossed he comes through OK and then he can be involved in the squad.”

Left-footed Trusty has been filling in on the right side of central defence alongside Liam Scales and the former Sheffield United player showed his worth to the Celtic fans in Italy.

“I thought he was immense in the game,” the Celtic manager said. “Him and Scalesy. But Scalesy, I’ve seen now for a long time, one of his great superpowers is defending the box. When it comes in, he puts his head on it.

“For Auston, a big admiration, especially since he’s come in he’s a player that’s been playing on the wrong side virtually all his time. But he’s just got on with it and coped with it.

“But then you see one of the big reasons why we did bring him in. His ability to leap and defend in the box. He’s really powerful with his head. But also his speed, there were a couple of recovery runs in behind. He’s super quick. He got there on a couple of occasions.

“I was so, so pleased for him, because sometimes you need a big performance like that at the big clubs to really show your value.”

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