Chris Sutton calls on Brendan Rodgers to use “underappreciated” Celtic man more

Chris Sutton reckons Celtic could be getting more out of their wingers in the final stages of the season.

The departures of Jota and Liel Abada over the last 12 months have reduced the quality available to the manager in the wide areas.

Several signings have been made to fill the gap but nobody has really stepped up to become a main man quite yet.

Luis Palma showed some good form in the first half of the season but has fallen off while Nicolas Kuhn is still warming up to the Celtic task. Hyunjun Yang has shown flashes of ability but isn’t consistently effective.

James Forrest came off the bench last weekend in the Scottish Cup semi-final to make a big impact and Sutton believes the veteran attacker has more to give in the final six Games of the season, especially with Daizen Maeda working his way back from injury.

Chris Sutton on Celtic wingers

He told The Daily Record: “The other wingers at the club have not exactly hit the heights in Maeda’s absence, with Yang continuing to blow hot and cold and Nicolas Kuhn also being a bit of a mixed bag. You are never sure of what you are going to get from the pair.

“James Forrest made a huge impression from the bench at Hampden last week and you would think he has a major part to play in the coming weeks. It’s hard to tell though. Rodgers has called Forrest his best wideman this season – but then not played him for weeks.

“I know he’s getting on a bit but he’s 32-year-old – not 52. Forrest is underappreciated somewhat by Celtic fans but if he gets his chance in the run-in, he’s already proved he is a big-Game player.”

James Forrest set for Celtic start vs Dundee

Given Forrest’s contribution against Aberdeen and the way Brendan Rodgers waxed lyrical about him in Friday’s media conference, it’s a fair assumption that he will be in the starting line-up for Sunday’s match away to Dundee.

He may well be best paired with Kuhn, who is the other Celtic winger looking the most likely to contribute as of late.

That would allow Hyunjun Yang and Luis Palma to come into the Game as second-half substitutes if required – a potentially more favourable circumstance for the pair to make an impact.