Celtic

We asked for your views on Celtic's 3-1 defeat against Hearts.

Here's what some of you said:

Darren: It's not Brendan Rodgers that's the problem. It's the board. They buy and sell the players and expect the head coach to build a team out of what they buy. It's not Rodgers' fault, it's the board acting like a bunch of selectors and they got it wrong badly. Celtic can be a force in Europe but this board won't take a chance.

Jim: It seems that Celtic are going backwards with Brendan at the helm. He doesn't appear to be interested or fully committed to the club and the players seem to lack inspiration or motivation. Maybe it's time for changes both on and off the field?

David: Dane Murray got his chance and blew it. He was directly to blame for the first and third goal, did not have a clue as to his positioning in the box and did nothing to stop the ball for the second. Callum McGregor showed some form at last but was fighting a lone battle. Well played Hearts, you were good.

Joe: Rodgers' position must now be in serious jeopardy. Forget the transfer window, Celtic are consistently losing to clubs with a fraction of the resources they have. The standard of play is truly awful and lack of goals is embarrassing. That sits with the manager.

Patrick: A really poor performance. A shame for the youngsters, but let's hope they learn from it. Momentum is everything and Hearts have it all while Celtic have none. Need to improve these performances as the board can't do anything until January now, so no point blaming them. The manager needs to get more from the players.

Stuart: Again Rodgers has no answer, takes off our best player for an inferior winger. He built this squad and should take the blame. Rodgers should do the honourable thing and resign. Would you give him the huge amount of money he will need in January to improve this lot?

Celtic have been informed that Cluj are eager to sell Louis Munteanu during the January transfer window, the Scottish champions having had a £7m offer rejected for the 23-year-old Romania striker this summer. (Football Transfers), external

Celtic midfielder Odin Thiago Holm, currently struggling to make an impact on loan to Los Angeles, has revealed he is battling to save his career at the age of just 22 after a rare condition in his calves that has left him feeling "half-paralysed" when he plays. (Daily Record), external

Feyenoord look set to suffer a partial stadium closure when they face Celtic in De Kuip next month in the Europa League after fans set off fireworks in their match against Panathinaikos this week while the club are already on a suspended sentence from Uefa. (Scottish Sun), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Rampant Hearts powered eight points clear of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership to bolster their early-season title credentials and deepen the malaise around Brendan Rodgers' side.

How concerned are Celtic supporters after Sunday's defeat?

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "Disappointing result and performance. It's a disappointing day. We made too many mistakes with the ball and without the ball. Its a game we should take something from but we didn't do enough.

"We go behind in the game, show a good mentality to come back, score a very good goal. When we then had the ball in their half, I just think we gave it away too easily.

"It's a really poor [second Hearts] goal from our perspective. We didn't move when the ball went back as a line so when they play it, they should have players offside but didn't. We have got to do better with the shot. We highlighted the young winger, he likes to come inside, he likes to shoot.

"And then we make the mistake for the penalty, so then all of a sudden it's 3-1. Dane [Murray], the young players, you have to be exposed to the pressure. Where we're at as a team, we're needing these players. Dane makes the own goal and then a little bit rash for the penalty. It's something that he'll learn from.

"There's still so many points to play for. It's still so early. It's only nine games in. Obviously, being eight points behind is not what we would want. The comfort is there's so many games to play. We now have to focus on the here and now and look to find more consistency and more quality in our play."

Andy Campbell
BBC Scotland

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Rampant Hearts powered eight points clear of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership to bolster their early-season title credentials and deepen the malaise around Brendan Rodgers' side.

Alexandros Kyziridis' fine strike and Lawrence Shankland's penalty gave Derek McInnes' side a 3-1 lead that the reigning champions could not recover from.

Dane Murray - one of three youngsters in the Celtic XI - slashed into his own net early on to put Hearts ahead at a bouncing Tynecastle, and it was the 22-year-old's foul that led to the spot-kick.

Callum McGregor's classy first goal of the season had quickly cancelled out Hearts' opener, and Benjamin Nygren almost put Rodgers' team in front, opting for finesse over power and allowing Alexander Schwolow to save from close range.

But Derek McInnes' irrepressible Hearts seized control again to consign Celtic to successive league defeats for the first time since 2023.

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We asked for your views on what Cameron Carter-Vickers' injury blow - the defender has been ruled out for up to five months - means for Celtic.

Here's what some of you said:

Craig: With Jota, Kelechi Iheanacho and Alistair Johnston already out, Carter-Vickers joining them is very bad news. I'm starting to think this season may be cursed for us. We will now look even more shaky at the back as well as fairly toothless at the front. The board has put us in this situation and should face the consequences.

Andy: I think CCV has been off his best this season so will be good to give Dane Murray or Man City loanee Jahmai Simpson-Pusey a chance.

Morris: CCV's injury is devastating for Celtic, and the club will lose the league title. The diminutive Liam Scales is a defensive liability, but Brendan Rodgers can't see past him. This season will mark the end of an era for Celtic as several players leave. Rodgers' tenure was a car crash in slow motion.

Martin: Dane Murray. Hasn't put a foot wrong for me and will simply slot in.

Bren: Iheanacho never looked fit at Celtic. Did he have injury problems before signing? With Johnston and CCV out injured, Celtic's prospects look grim this year.

Dan: The loss of CCV is less than ideal and that loss will be felt, however, maybe we get a look at Simpson-Pusey now? Maybe Auston Trusty can return to some kind of form? Murray can step up, promote from within. Also, as unfortunate as it is to see Johnston break down again, I'm really hoping to see more of Colby Donovan deputising, I'd argue he gets the nod over Anthony Ralston at the moment.

Mike: Always look more vulnerable without him. A big blow.

Benny: Losing CCV is massive but Kieran Tierney can play centre-back with Marcelo Saracchi filling in at left-back. Or Dane Murray to play along side Scales. The only saving grace is that we do have options for the centre-back slot. Hopefully CVV will be back soon.

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Ageu and Christian Borchgrevink both have a chance of being in the Hearts squad for the first time since August but Frankie Kent (knee), Ryan Fulton (groin) and Finlay Pollock (hamstring) are still missing.

Celtic have lost Cameron Carter-Vickers to an Achilles injury while Alistair Johnston, Kelechi Iheanacho and Daizen Maeda could miss out with hamstring problems. Long-term absentee Jota (knee) remains out.

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• Hearts' Harry Milne has created more chances from set plays (12) than any player in the Scottish Premiership this season. Meanwhile, no player has more assists in the competition so far than Milne's team-mate Alexandros Kyziridis (four, level with Dundee's Cameron Congreve).

• After their 2-0 loss at Dundee, Celtic are looking to avoid back-to-back league defeats for the first time since December 2023 – when the second was against Hearts (2-0). Away from home, Celtic last suffered consecutive league defeats in May 2023.

• Hearts have won four successive league games without conceding; the last non-Old Firm club to win five in a row without conceding in the Premiership were Aberdeen in April 2023, while Hearts last achieved this in the top flight in December 2010 – a run which included a 2-0 home win over Celtic.

• This will be Celtic's first league meeting with a side starting the day top of the table since they beat Rangers 3-0 in February 2022. However, Celtic have lost their past four away league visits to sides starting the day top, including a 1-0 loss at Hearts in August 2018.

• Hearts have lost 14 of their past 16 meetings with Celtic in all competitions, with the exceptions both 2-0 league wins in season 2023-24 (December and March).

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Brendan Rodgers says he "has enough to worry about at Celtic" and hasn't concerned himself with Tony Bloom's claim Hearts can challenge for second spot in the Scottish Premiership this season.

The Brighton owner bought a 29% non-voting stake in the club earlier this year and suggested the Tynecastle side have a "very good chance" of at least finishing second in the top flight this term.

So far Bloom's ambition has been vindicated with Derek McInnes' side sitting top of the table with seven wins from their first eight games. Plus, if they beat Celtic at Tynecastle on Sunday they'll go eight points clear of the Glasgow club.

When asked what he made of Bloom's suggestion of where Hearts can finish this term, Rodgers said he "never had any reaction".

"Tony's a clever guy," the Northern Irishman said.

"He's done fantastic in his life and business. I know Tony and Darren, his brother. I go way back to the time at Brighton when they were coming through the levels and they weren't even at their own ground. The job he did at Brighton is and has been amazing.

"He obviously has seen an opportunity at Hearts and will come in and look to add his expertise and knowledge and look to get them up there.

"Hearts are one of the biggest clubs up here and will want to be challenging, and being in European football.

"So I didn't think either way of it. I've got enough to worry about with Celtic."

Rodgers is expecting a tricky encounter on Sunday when his side travel to Edinburgh to take on a Hearts side who "deserve" to be top of the table.

"They've got a really good manager who knows what he wants from his teams in Derek," he added.

"He goes in there, he knows it's a big club, he knows they've got good players, and obviously they've made a really, really good start.

"It's still very, very early. I would expect us to get better as we move along. We've been so inconsistent and our goals and all that side of it hasn't been to where we want.

"Hearts, they've made a really, really good start and deserve to be where they are. They've got their points on the board and I think they'll be looking to challenge right the way through the season."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Winger Sebastian Tounekti believes Hearts are serious title challengers as Celtic head to Tynecastle on Sunday aiming to trim the lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Derek McInnes' side hold a five-point advantage over the second-placed champions, with Celtic's Europa League victory over Sturm Graz a much-needed boost after the 2-0 defeat against Dundee last weekend.

Tunisia international Tounekti, who impressed on Thursday night, said: "The win [over Sturm Graz] was a must-win and a really important one.

"A confidence boost. We know that we are a good squad and we know that we just have to get going.

"I think Hearts have shown that they are a really good team. Yes, 100% [they are a title threat]. For us, every game is really serious, so we have to take everyone seriously.

"It's going to be a massive game on Sunday at a difficult place, but we're going there to get a result.

"We have to be at our best. Thursday night was a massive step into the right way, so we just have to keep going but we're going to go there to win. We have to be at our best to get a result."

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Winger James Forrest believes Celtic have the squad to overcome Scottish Premiership leaders and Sunday's hosts Hearts. (Record), external

Chief executive Andrew McKinlay hopes Hearts can "put a marker down" against Celtic. (Scotsman - subscription required), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Arne Engels has struggled to live up to his hefty price tag since arriving in Glasgow for a reported fee of £11m last year.

The Belgium midfielder had only started four of Celtic's first 14 matches in all competitions this season, but was trusted to be in the XI for a crucial Europa League match at home to Austrian champions Sturm Graz on Thursday.

And the 22-year-old showed his quality as Brendan Rodgers' side bounced back from their dismal Premiership defeat by Dundee on Sunday.

Having gone behind in the first half, Engels played a crucial role in both Celtic goals as they sealed a first European victory of the campaign.

First he played Colby Donovan into the box, who in turn teed up Liam Scales for the equaliser, before an expertly delivered corner was headed home by Benjamin Nygren.

After weeks of attacking inefficiency and ponderous build-up play, Celtic looked somewhere close to their best - a much-needed boost before Sunday's league meeting with pace-setting Hearts.

In total, Engels made five key passes against Sturm Graz, created the most chances (five) of any player on the pitch, and also delivered the most crosses (eight).

His manager was full of praise for the way he impacted things.

"Arne I thought was outstanding in the game," Rodgers said.

"Coming back in, he gave us that energy and that fight. And his set-piece quality really is world class."

The challenge now for Engels is to nail down a midfield spot and deliver that type of display consistently.

And with Celtic hit by injuries to key trio Cameron Carter-Vickers, Kelechi Iheanacho and Alistair Johnston, Engels could have a huge role to play in the coming weeks, starting with Sunday's massive game at Tynecastle.

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Celtic have been rocked by an Achilles injury to defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, who faces three to five months on the sidelines.

The US international suffered the problem late on in the Europa League win over Sturm Graz on Thursday night.

Just how big a blow is losing Carter-Vickers? Do the club have sufficient cover at centre-back? And who would you like to see start in place of the American?

Share your views here.

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Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner on Sportsound

The win was so important just to get the confidence back. You've seen the reaction from the fans at the end.

And coming back from being a goal down, the sucker punch right at the start, and that first half. It could have maybe knocked the stuffing out of them, but they kept going, which is the critical part.

This is about hard work now. This is about every single player. Johnny Kenny right at the end there was absolutely on his knees, shattered, but he ran back into a right-back position, and ended up winning the throw-in. A 40-yard run just to help out his team-mate.

That's what you've got to do when things are going against you. And that was just down to real determination and hard work, Benjamin Nygren sums it up, Kenny sums it up. Just keep going and going, and eventually it will turn, because they are good players.

Former Scotland striker James McFadden on Sportsound

Celtic's second-half performance impressed. They could have won by a lot more.

Obviously when Sturm Graz go down to 10 men it becomes more difficult for them, but when Celtic moved the ball quicker it caused them problems, stopped them from getting any kind of control, and Celtic created umpteen chances.

Ultimately for Celtic, back to winning ways, back on the goal trail, and chances created, I think that has got to be the most pleasing factor.

Former Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan on Scottish football podcast

Johnny Kenny just needs to double down on what his game is at the minute, which is he made himself some chances just from persistence, pressing, enthusiasm. Goals will come from that, he will get rewarded with it.

It probably helped him that he ultimately played 90 minutes. It's a completely different build-up to a game when you're starting a game like that.

It was a big game for Celtic, there was a lot of pressure after poor results. All that pressure is taken away when you're not starting.

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We asked for your views after Celtic beat Sturm Graz 2-1 for a first win in this season's Europa League at the third attempt.

Here's what some of you said:

Patrick: Shame about the injuries but Johnny Kenny and Colby Donovan were well up to the challenge. Benjamin Nygren and Arne Engels were really good, and so close to more goals. Need to see more creation from the wings, a lot of crosses going nowhere. Baby steps in the right direction though and on to the weekend.

John: Bemoaning a lack of signings is just a narrative for elements of the support to forward their agenda, it is not an excuse. The players showed they are good enough if they just make the effort and listen to what the manager is trying to get them to do.

Paul: Vastly improved performance from Celtic, especially Liam Scales, and a much-needed win to bolster confidence in the team. However, there were too many squandered opportunities and Kenny is not the answer to Celtic's lack of scoring issues recently.

Alec: Apart from the few bright spots, this was so nearly another inept display and Brendan Rodgers has to take responsibility. Midfield is outclassed in every game and it's time for Callum McGregor to be replaced. Playing Alistair Johnston reeked of desperation and is probably going to cost us another six weeks without him. Time for Rodgers to either commit or go. In either case he needs to change it and the players.

Eamon: Best performance of the season by a mile. Finally the players get what it means to play for Celtic. More of the same on Sunday. Thought Kenny was outstanding. His positional sense was immense. Give him a run of games in the team and his goals will flow.

Mike: Tempo, aggression, forward movement. That's what we've been missing, and that's what we got last night. From the first whistle we looked a different team, a better team. We also seemed to embrace a bit of chaos, abandoning the safe, slow, boring style that has dogged the team since the start of the season... now if we can just get our hands on a goalscorer.

Mikey: A lot like my report card from School, "could do better". A quality striker would have had four or five goals last night with the 20 chances made. Not including Shin Yamada in the squad for back-up looks like a massive mistake now, with Kenny the only fit recognised striker.

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Celtic's Benjamin Nygren hopes the stirring comeback against Sturm Graz will be a turning point for the club after his second-half header earned a first win of their Europa League campaign.

Victory leaves Brendan Rodgers side on four points after three games with challenging away fixtures to follow next month at Midtjylland, who top the Europa League table on maximum points, and Feyenoord.

"A must-win, I would say personally," the Sweden midfielder said of the 2-1 victory over the Austrians.

"I just hope that this was the turning point that we now will just come flying and get a lot of wins."

Nygren, whose winner came after he missed a host of chances, knows Celtic face a stern test on their return to Premiership action on Sunday when they visit leaders Hearts and look to reduce the five-point gap at the top.

"It's not an easy game, so we need to be alert, we need to be there from the start, but we also know if we put in a good performance we will win," he said.

"None of us were happy at all with the very bad performance last game [in the 2-0 defeat to Dundee], so we were desperate to come out today with a win and with a good performance.

"It's a long season, we've had a difficult period and we know when we turn it around and we win the games, then nothing can stop us."

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• Celtic secured their first win against Austrian opposition since beating FC Wacker Innsbruck in the European Cup in October 1977, ending their nine-game winless run against Austrian opponents (D3 L6).

• Celtic won after conceding the opening goal in the Europa League for the first time since 7 November 2019 against Lazio (7 games without a win).

• There were 144 seconds between Liam Scales' equaliser and Benjamin Nygren's header putting Celtic in the lead.

• Celtic's xG total of 4.24 was the highest of any side in a Europa League game this season and the Scottish side's highest total in a major European competition match on record (since 2013-14).

• Celtic's Benjamin Nygren has seven goal involvements across eight appearances in major European competition (6 goals, 1 assist).

• With an average age of 28 years 14 days, Celtic named their oldest starting XI for a major European home match since a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in November 2006 (28y 272d).

Brendan Rodgers fears Celtic duo Kelechi Iheanacho and Alistair Johnston face lengthy lay-offs with hamstring injuries. (Sun), external

Rodgers is sweating on defender Cameron Carter-Vickers' fitness for Sunday's trip to face Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts. (Record), external

Read Friday's Scottish gossip