Stuart Kettlewell hailed the impact of debutant Mika Biereth after the Danish striker came off the bench to inspire Motherwell to a 2-1 victory over Hibernian in the cinch Premiership.

The Arsenal loanee laid on Conor Wilkinson for the opening goal of the game before adding one of his own in wonderful style with five minutes of the match remaining.

Adam Le Fondre netted from the penalty spot in injury time to set up a nervy finish at Fir Park, but Kettlewell’s side held on for their first three points of the season.

“He was excellent when he came on, we know he’s got quality,” Kettlewell said.

“He’s still a young lad and probably in that development stage of his career. Coming from a club like Arsenal we knew he was a good player.

“I’m delighted with the impact, you don’t ever know if it’s going to be like that first off, but certainly from the wee bits we’ve seen in training, he starts to look like the sort of guy that will excel at this level.”

The Well boss was pleased at his side’s discipline during what was often a physical encounter.

After a drab first half, the hosts controlled much of the game after the restart and deservedly claimed the win.

“I though we were good throughout the day, we were disciplined, well-organised and probably in the second 45 started to carry a greater threat in the final third,” he added.

“Overall, it’s a pleasing day for us but I keep saying it, it’s not a case of sitting and resting on our laurels – we’ve got a lot more to give.

“It was a little bit of stand-off as a game in the first half but you’ve still got 45 minutes to rectify that and become a greater threat, which we did and deservedly got our three points.”

Hibernian boss Lee Johnson felt fatigue was a factor as his team were unable to recreate the highs of their Europa Conference League victory over Luzern.

Johnson was forced to rotate his squad for the meeting with Motherwell and he admitted that his side were feeling the strain of their recent busy schedule.

“We conceded two really poor goals of a weak disposition in terms of a physical battle for those two moments in the game,” he said.

“I feel like the output of Thursday probably had a bit of an effect in terms of the zip – the difference in the mental concentration was chalk and cheese in the two performances.

“Three days apart is a bit of a stretch for us at the moment, we’ve got six first-team starters out at the moment and ideally we’d have rotated the squad a little bit more.”

Thomas Frank embraced Brentford “again making history” after their Premier League opener at home to Tottenham was delayed due to a sanitation issue inside the stadium.

A six-minute delay occurred to the scheduled 2pm kick-off following an issue with the water supply at the Brentford Community Stadium.

It meant toilets could not be used and while the problem remained until half-time, Frank laughed off the Bees providing another Premier League first after a drone saw a clash with Wolves delayed at the start of 2022.

Frank said: “I actually don’t know (if anyone had a shower yet), but it is the most crazy reason for delaying a Premier League game I ever heard.

“I know we normally hit the headlines for a lot of good things. Probably is not the worst thing to hit the headlines with, but yeah quite crazy.

“It reminded me a little bit about the drone game two years ago against Wolves. Probably also the first time in the Premier League wasn’t it? Again, making history. First time drone and second time no water.”

A Brentford statement at the time said: “Please be aware that we are currently dealing with an issue in relation to the water supply into the stadium which is affecting all related facilities.”

Meanwhile, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou laughed off the fact his Premier League bow was momentarily delayed.

Postecoglou added: “Twenty-seven years of managing mate and that’s the beauty of it, there’s always something new. So just another little line in my autobiography.”

Steven Naismith blamed a European hangover and early teething trouble with new signings as Hearts stumbled to a goalless Premiership draw at home to Kilmarnock.

The Tynecastle side lacked the necessary spark in attack to break down a resolute Kilmarnock, who enjoyed the better opportunities over the course of the stalemate.

And Jambos technical director Naismith admits Thursday’s Europa Conference League third qualifying round encounter with Rosenborg in Norway appeared to have an effect on his players.

He said: “There was some frustration there but I’m realistic and I’ve got the experience of being in these situations.

“There’s been a few new players come in, it’s new to them, we have played away from home in Europe and come back.

“You’ll have seen it a million times that these are tough performances even before you look at the opposition.

“It was a slow start. Everyone was waiting for somebody to ignite the performance but as the game went on and the second-half developed, it looked very good for us.

“We were very composed and we made Kilmarnock defend.

“A big positive is we looked really secure at the back. That’s one of the big areas we needed to improve on, in set plays and general play and I thought we did look solid.”

The former Rangers and Scotland striker added: “(Thursday) is going to have an impact, without a doubt. I’ve been there as a player – it’s hard.

“As much as you prepare properly and do everything right, it’s an intense period. We’ve not had the luxury of having many competitive games and the adrenaline in the build up to games takes a bit out of you as well.

“And we’ve got new players who are still trying to bed in. So you’ve got to juggle all that but overall, there were loads of pleasing aspects to our performance.”

Hearts are back at home on Thursday night for the second leg of the meeting with Rosenborg as they seek to overturn their 2-1 first-leg deficit.

Asked if he was confident they could find a spark for that match, Naismith said: “If we don’t, then we have a problem.

“If players don’t want to play on a European night at Tynecastle, then that’s a problem. But I’m comfortable with that.”

Meanwhile, Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes hailed his new-look side for taking their haul to four points after their opening-day shock win over Rangers.

The Rugby Park outfit carried the greater attacking threat and Kyle Magennis’ header and Stuart Findlay’s shot came closest to breaking the deadlock.

McInnes said: “We’re not celebrating coming here and getting a point and the clean sheet and the performance.

“But what I am privately celebrating is the type of team we’ve become in a short space of time.

“Coming through the League Cup stages and frantically trying to put a squad together that can meet the demands, we had so much to do.

“But the team over the last couple of games have shown so many real qualities.

“That wasn’t just a battling performance, that wasn’t us hanging in. Hearts came onto it for about 10 minutes towards the end, but I thought we were pretty assured and comfortable throughout.

“And I think we look as if we’ve been playing together a lot longer than what we have done – and that’s testament to the players.

“That’s two clean sheets against Rangers and Hearts.

“It’s not been perfect but it was a strong performance, as it needed to be and it was pretty comfortable for the vast majority of it.”

Alex Mitchell is on standby to replace Jack van Poortvliet in England’s World Cup squad if the Leicester scrum-half’s worst injury fears are confirmed.

Van Poortvliet is to undergo a scan on his right ankle after he was helped from the pitch by medical staff in the 33rd minute of Saturday’s 19-17 victory over Wales at Twickenham.

The 22-year-old rookie, who was in significant pain, is one of three scrum-halves named in Steve Borthwick’s 33-man squad for the tournament alongside Ben Youngs and Danny Care.

A fitness update is expected on Monday at the earliest and if the damage is substantial, then Mitchell will be summoned into camp.

Mitchell was unfortunate to miss out on the original squad after making four impactful replacement appearances during the Six Nations earlier this year, injecting energy and tempo into England’s play.

“We had Alex Mitchell in camp earlier in our preparation period and he played in the Six Nations as well,” Borthwick said.

“He was involved in four of the five games during the Six Nations and I’ve asked all of the standby players to be ready to be the next man in.

“I want to make sure we’ve got depth in those key positions. I need to find out the information on Jack at this stage and I don’t know that.”

Borthwick faces another potential challenge to his thinking at half-back as England wait for the outcome of Tuesday’s disciplinary hearing that will determine the length of Owen Farrell’s ban.

Farrell was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Taine Basham and is in danger of missing the World Cup opener against Argentina on September 9 – and possibly additional group games.

Giving England hope is that George Ford was outstanding as a replacement for the squad’s captain.

“George is a great thinker about the game. He studies the game, he watches the game – a lot. He’s always coming forward with ideas, thoughts and improvements,” Borthwick said.

“You saw against Wales his game management and the use of his kicking game. George’s distribution skills are very, very good.”

Ange Postecoglou promised Tottenham would improve and praised the resilience of his squad for not allowing Harry Kane’s departure to distract them after they battled to a 2-2 Premier League draw at Brentford.

Kane’s exit to Bayern Munich – coupled with four full debutants being used in their season opener – contributed to the start of a new dawn at Spurs and along with hosts Brentford, they produced an entertaining affair in west London.

Cristian Romero headed Tottenham in front after 11 minutes before quick-fire efforts from Bees forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa turned around this season opener, but James Maddison – wearing the 10 shirt in Kane’s absence – set up Emerson Royal to level matters on the stroke of half-time.

It stayed 2-2 despite the visitors having 69 per cent possession and 18 shots, which pleased Postecoglou to an extent but the Australian was also aware they must get better in the final third, especially following the £100million sale of their record goal-scorer.

“Football clubs move on pretty quickly,” Postecoglou reflected when asked if he had discussed Kane’s departure with the squad.

“I haven’t needed to address it, I haven’t needed to give them a warm fuzzy cuddle just to see how they are. We had a game to prepare for and they knew that.

“I think that was the important thing for us. If it felt like we were distracted, I was distracted or anyone else, I think you would have seen evidence of it today, particularly after that first half and the way it went.

“We showed a real resilience that we’re going to need because it’s going to be a challenging year for sure.

“It was a good starting point for us today, but we need to improve and we have to improve and we will.

“I think that 2-1 down, having conceded a penalty and an own goal, it would have been very easy for us to drop our heads but I never sensed that in the group.”

After Romero had combined with fellow vice-captain Maddison to open the scoring, he was forced off following an earlier clash of heads with Mbeumo.

The Argentina international wanted to stay on, but Postecoglou had no doubt over the substitution, although was critical over how a pedantic minor error by Spurs’ backroom staff penalised them when it came to further substitutes.

Postecoglou added: “They were pretty sure we needed – for his own benefit – to get him off and obviously what we know about head injuries, for me it is not even an issue. We will always err on the side of caution.

“Disappointed that we apparently filled out the wrong slip and it was not a concussion sub.

“In this day and age, where what we know about head injuries, if we are going to worry about what form we fill out, I thought it was pretty clear what happened – but hopefully he’ll be OK.”

Despite no longer having Kane to call on and with other experienced members of the squad in Hugo Lloris and Eric Dier not involved, Postecoglou was happy to give the away fans reasons for optimism.

“I thought our supporters were outstanding today,” he said.

“It is fair to say we have put them through a fair bit this pre-season and all we can try and do is give them some hope and belief.

“Hopefully they leave the ground, maybe disappointed we weren’t able to get the win, but at least seeing the players are fully committed to us trying to be a football team that makes an impact.”

While a lot of the pre-match focus centred on Tottenham being without Kane, Brentford are missing last season’s top goal-scorer Ivan Toney until January due to his ban for repeated betting breaches.

Bees boss Thomas Frank maintained there was no need for them to sign a new forward and was pleased to be validated in their opening fixture with Mbeumo and Wissa on target.

He said: “There have been quite a few questions from you guys at the end of last season and the start of this about ‘will we buy a striker?’ And I’ve said no, no, no, no and no because we believe the forward players we have will provide enough goals.

“Bryan and Wissa showed it last season and I am so glad they showed it again today.

“Do I want Ivan in the team? Yes, but I know he is not there before January so I am not focused too much on that, only on the players we have now.”

Unless could make the leap to Group One company after a convincing victory in the Michael John Kennedy Memorial Irish EBF Stakes at the Curragh.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Unless boasts a sterling pedigree as a daughter of US Triple Crown winner Justify out of 2017 Cheveley Park Stakes victor Clemmie.

However, the filly had yet to really make her mark, winning a Naas maiden before finishing fourth in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot and second in a Killarney Listed heat last time.

Kept to that level but upped to 10 furlongs, Unless travelled well throughout in the hands of Gary Carroll, racing prominently before mounting a decisive challenge with a couple of furlongs to run.

The 6-1 shot found plenty for pressure and came home a length and three-quarters clear of 5-4 favourite Azazat, with Paddy Power making her a 25-1 shot from 33s for the Yorkshire Oaks at York on August 24.

“We’re delighted with her. She always looked like she would get that trip and she’s a typical Justify, wants a Classic trip, and she could even get further as Gary said she galloped all the way down to the boards,” said O’Brien.

“She’s Clemmie’s first foal so she’s a seriously valuable mare.

“She will definitely stay further and the Yorkshire Oaks could be a possibility.”

Andre Fabre could have a contender for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe having saddled Place Du Carrousel to land the Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club at Deauville on Sunday.

The four-year-old had been seen just once so far this campaign when finishing down the field in the Prix Ganay, but was always close to the pace on her mid-season return and got first run on runner-up Bolthole as she cruised to a taking three-quarter-length success in the hands of Mickael Barzalona in the Group Three affair.

The daughter of Lope De Vega stayed on strongly to hunt down Nashwa in the Prix de l’Opera on Arc day last year, but could be headed to the main event this time around.

“It’s great to see her back,” said Rupert Pritchard-Gordon, who is owner Al Shaqab’s racing consultant in France.

“After the Ganay she really blossomed, but Andre took his time and said this is where we would start her off.

“There’s no rush. She’s in the Romanet but obviously there is the Vermeille and we hope she might be a filly for the Arc.”

There was little joy for the British and Irish raiders in the two other Group Three events, but Charlie Appleby did land a blow for the visitors when Bold Act dug deep in the Listed Prix Nureyev.

The consistent son of New Approach – who showed a good deal of ability when scoring three times as a juvenile – had gone close in Saint-Cloud’s Prix Eugene Adam most recently and although looking briefly outpaced having followed stablemate Victory Dance into the straight, he hit top gear in the hands of William Buick when it mattered most.

“We were a little worried about the ground but it was fine, he battled on really well and deserved it,” said the winning rider.

The opening Circus Maximus Prix Francois Boutin went the way of Patrice Cottier’s Grey Man who justified favouritism in good style to see off Joseph O’Brien’s recent Galway scorer Mythology.

“It wasn’t a surprise, and we all thought he had a very good chance,” said owner Jean-Philippe Dubois.

“He won over six and a half furlongs, over a mile and today he’s won at seven.

“Two out he had the race won and we are very pleased, but I shall have to consult our trainer before deciding on his next race.”

There was a small shock in the Prix Minerve as Maxime Cesandri’s Engaliwe came out on top in a three-way finish with Dschingis Star and the William Haggas-trained Crack Of Light.

“It’s always been the plan to run in this race, but earlier in the week we decided to look again and see what was left in,” said the handler.

“I was convinced she should run and that the ground wouldn’t be too firm for her.

“She was fresh from her run in a Group Three in June and we are so happy to win for the group of friends that own her.

“Options include the Prix Vermeille later on or the Prix de Royallieu when the ground could be softer.”

Jerome Reynier has the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Qipco British Champions Day in mind for Facteur Cheval after his honourable second to Paddington at Goodwood.

The four-year-old was been incredibly consistent in France all year, placing in a string of Group races when never far behind the winner.

In late May he was third in the Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp, coming home just a head behind Owen Burrows’ Anmaat in the nine-furlong Group One.

His next destination was the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, another Group One for which he was a 11-1 shot under Maxime Guyon.

Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington dominated the market and was ultimately the winner, but Reynier’s runner gave the 4-9 favourite a real run for his money despite encountering some traffic problems two furlongs from home.

Facteur Cheval now has a return to British shores pencilled into his diary, with another run on home turf beforehand likely, as Reynier considers the Prix du Moulin over the Prix Daniel Wildenstein to allow for the ideal Ascot preparation.

“We’re very happy with him, he has been recovering from the run and the journey and he is in very good shape,” the trainer said.

“We are going to aim for the QEII at the end of the year and maybe have another run in between in something like the Moulin.

“We will see, depending on the ground, the opposition and how he feels.

“He could race there in September, but we are aiming for the QEII which is on October 21. I don’t really want to try the Prix Daniel Wildenstein on the Arc weekend on the September 30 and then three weeks later send him to Ascot – that’s maybe a little bit too much to ask of him.”

Reynier hopes the horse will continue to take strides forward and could prove to be as reliable a campaigner as his evergreen stablemate Skalleti.

“He ran very well, he is improving mentally and physically and should be a very nice horse for the QEII and next year he should be a proper international campaigner,” he said.

“He handles everything but we are trying to manage him and the softer it is, the better it is for him.

“We’ve done it with Skalleti and there are many points of comparison with them, hopefully with Facteur Cheval we’ll end up with 12 Group wins like Skalleti has already!”

Skalleti is a stalwart of the Reynier stable and a remarkably consistent performer over a mile to 10 furlongs, winning 20 of his 31 starts with over half of his successes coming in Group company – including twice at the top level.

He is another horse who appreciates cut in the ground and he will be aimed at the Prix Dollar, a Group Two run on Arc weekend that he has won twice previously.

“It’s a question of the weather and the ground,” Reynier said.

“He’ll probably be aiming for the Prix Dollar on Arc weekend, he’s won the race twice.

“He loves Longchamp and the ground is very often soft there on Arc weekend, so that’s probably the plan with him.”

William Saliba was delighted to make a successful return to Premier League action in Arsenal’s win over Nottingham Forest.

The France defender missed the closing weeks of last season with a back injury and his absence was felt as Arsenal slipped from the top of the table to finish five points behind champions Manchester City.

Up until his injury, the Gunners had been settled at the summit and Saliba had formed a formidable defensive partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes.

Saliba returned to the team for the 2-1 win over Forest, providing the assist for Bukayo Saka’s stunning strike after Eddie Nketiah’s deflected effort had broken the deadlock.

“I’m really, really happy,” he said of his competitive return.

“I’m not 100 per cent at the moment, but I give everything to come back, because it’s been a long time. I didn’t play as I was injured, and I’m so happy to be with the team. The team and the staff helped me to get better and get back to my best.

“It’s always better (to play at home). You don’t feel pressure, you don’t feel any pain, it’s good.”

Arsenal had looked in control against the visitors until substitute Taiwo Awoniyi pulled a goal back with eight minutes remaining to give the visitors hope of wrestling back an unlikely point.

Ultimately, the hosts hung on and Saliba was pleased to start the campaign with a victory.

“It was really good to start the season with a win,” he added.

“It’s never easy to win the first game in the league, and we have done a good game. Unfortunately, we conceded a goal in the last 10 minutes, but it’s okay, we learn and will improve for the next game.”

Forest are aiming to add to their squad before the transfer deadline, having handed debuts to Ola Aina, Anthony Elanga and Matt Turner. The latter was pleased to make his bow against Arsenal, whom he left for the City Ground earlier last week.

“Debut and Prem debut. A dream was finally realised yesterday,” he said on Instagram.

“Thank you to the Forest fans who made the trip! See you at the City Ground on Friday.

“Also just wanted to say thanks for the warm welcome back to the Emirates, it was truly a special day for me and my family.”

James Maddison provided two assists to help fill the creative void left by Harry Kane’s departure, but Tottenham could only start the Ange Postecoglou era with a 2-2 Premier League draw at Brentford.

Kane’s exit to Bayern Munich – coupled with four full debutants being used in their season opener – contributed to the start of a new dawn at Spurs and along with hosts Brentford, they produced an entertaining affair in west London.

New vice-captain Cristian Romero headed Tottenham in front after 11 minutes, but quick-fire efforts from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa turned around this Premier League opener for the Bees.

Emerson Royal was able to level on the stroke of half-time after another assist by Maddison, who was wearing the number 10 shirt, and despite both teams fashioning further chances in the second half, the spoils were shared.

It had been a whirlwind period for everyone involved at Tottenham with Kane beginning his journey to Germany on Friday and making his debut for Bayern on Saturday night. By that point, his former club had moved on.

Son Heung-min was confirmed as Spurs’ new captain, with Hugo Lloris still expected to depart before September 1, and Postecoglou handed out several debuts during his own Premier League bow.

A slight delay occurred to kick-off at Brentford due to a sanitation issue inside the stadium, but it took only 11 minutes for Tottenham to score the first goal of this new era.

Maddison curled in a free-kick for fellow vice-captain Romero to head home but that would prove the World Cup winner’s last involvement.

Romero had clashed heads with Mbeumo after five minutes and despite insisting he could carry on, Davinson Sanchez was introduced.

Brentford started to grow into proceedings and Tottenham’s new number one Guglielmo Vicario saved well from Mbeumo before Son started his captaincy duties with a low point.

The Spurs forward caught Mathias Jensen inside the area and – while it looked innocuous at first glance – VAR told referee Robert Jones to review the incident with the pitchside monitor and he pointed to the penalty spot.

With Brentford without the banned Ivan Toney due to repeated betting breaches, Mbeumo took on the spot-kick responsibility and slotted the ball home after 26 minutes in a similar fashion to his fellow strike partner.

Nine minutes later, Thomas Frank’s side were ahead when Rico Henry got in behind Emerson too easily on the right and cut back, where Wissa’s shot was deflected beyond Vicario by fellow debutant Micky Van De Ven.

A booking for Oliver Skipp on the stroke of half-time made it five yellows handed out to the visitors, which included coach Ryan Mason and those minor delays contributed towards 11 minutes being added on at the end of the first half.

It proved enough time for Tottenham to go in level after Emerson rifled home from 22 yards following Maddison’s pass to continue his resurgence after he was booed onto the pitch against Aston Villa at the start of 2023.

Brentford substitute Mikkel Damsgaard should have made it 3-2 after 58 minutes, but he scuffed his effort straight at Vicario from 12 yards after the Italian had punched away Vitaly Janelt’s cross.

Spurs improved afterwards with Son testing Mark Flekken, who produced a strong display after replacing Arsenal-bound David Raya.

Flekken was equal to Richarlison’s 64th-minute effort when Maddison had slipped through the Brazil forward before a host of changes were made by both managers.

Van De Ven breathed a sigh of relief after VAR decided to not intervene when he caught Bees substitute Kevin Schade inside the area with 12 minutes left.

And it proved the final noteworthy moment of an entertaining opener, which showed both sides there was life without talismans Kane and Toney.

Inspiral bounced back to her very best to defend her title in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained filly enjoyed one of her finest hours when triumphing in the mile Group One 12 months ago, but arrived on the Normandy coast with a point to prove having failed to get involved in the Sussex Stakes 11 days ago.

Ridden with restraint in the early stages by Frankie Dettori as favourite Big Rock set ablaze on the front end, the Italian conjured up a piece of magic aboard the Cheveley Park-owned four-year-old and when the time came to unleash his challenge, he had tacked across to the opposite side of the track to where the duo exited the stalls.

With a furlong to run it was Christopher Head’s French Derby second Big Rock who was still at the head of affairs, but Inspiral and her Royal Ascot conqueror Triple Time were looming large and although Kevin Ryan’s Queen Anne scorer couldn’t maintain his challenge, Inspiral was soon in full flow as she stormed through the line to register her first victory of the season.

The win gave both Dettori and the Clarehaven team a fourth straight success in Deauville’s showpiece, while it was the 52-year-old Italian’s eighth and final win in the race overall as he prepares to wave goodbye at the end of the season.

Kylian Mbappe has been reintegrated back into Paris St Germain’s first-team squad following “very constructive and positive discussions” between the club and their star asset.

The France captain’s future has been the subject of intense speculation all summer amid his preference of a move to Real Madrid and he was recently barred from senior training amid a fraught stand-off.

He watched on from the stands as PSG began their Ligue 1 title defence in underwhelming fashion with a goalless draw against Lorient on Saturday, with Neymar another conspicuous absentee from the matchday squad.

But PSG confirmed on Sunday Mbappe had returned to first-team training, amid links the 24-year-old forward is ready to extend his contract with the club beyond next summer.

PSG said in a statement on their social channels: “Following very constructive and positive discussions between Paris St Germain and Kylian Mbappe before the PSG-Lorient game, the player has been reinstated into the first-team training squad this morning.”

Mbappe, who had been given permission to speak to Al Hilal after the Saudi Pro League club tabled a world-record bid of £259million last month, has just one year left to run on his existing PSG deal.

He has so far refused any extension and would be able to negotiate a free transfer in January but it has been reported he will commit to PSG until 2025, allowing the club to sell him to Real next summer.

The 2018 World Cup winner, who is PSG’s all-time leading scorer with 212 goals in just 260 appearances, could come into the reckoning for head coach Luis Enrique next weekend at Toulouse.

Enrique had said ahead of the Lorient fixture he was optimistic that the impasse between PSG and Mbappe would be swiftly resolved.

“It is something that has already happened in the past and there was a positive solution before I was here,” he said in his pre-match press conference.

“I hope and wish that, just like in the past, the same thing will happen again and that the club and the player will reach an agreement.”

Brendan Rodgers told Stephen Welsh he sees the defender’s future at Celtic Park after he came in from the cold to help the champions see off a spirited Aberdeen in a 3-1 victory at Pittodrie.

Welsh replaced the injured Cameron Carter-Vickers at half-time with Celtic 2-1 ahead following an exciting opening period.

It was the centre-back’s first appearance for 10 months and he strolled through the 45 minutes with Aberdeen unable to carve out many clear-cut chances despite some decent spells of possession.

Rodgers is hoping to secure a new centre-back in the coming days after Celtic made a move for Elfsborg’s Gustaf Lagerbielke.

But he sees Welsh as a key part of his squad following the departure of Carl Starfelt to Celta Vigo.

“I thought he was excellent when he came in,” Rodgers said. “I like Stephen. I took him with me one pre-season when he was a young player because I really liked him.

“For whatever reason he hasn’t maybe played the games but he’s a Celtic boy who wants to be at the club. I want him to be at the club.

“I said to him, ‘I can’t guarantee you how many games you are going to play. You may play 40 games in the season’.

“But I know he is always ready. He trains very hard every day and he came into the game, he played with composure, and he is aggressive. It was really well done from him.”

Celtic also lost half-time substitute Reo Hatate to injury.

Rodgers said: “Cam just felt his hamstring towards the end of the half so hopefully that will not be too bad. And Reo just felt something in his calf. It’s better for precaution sake to get them off and we will see in the next couple of days how they are.”

Odin Thiago Holm replaced Hatate in the 70th minute before Yang Hyin-jun came off the bench to set up Matt O’Riley’s clincher in the 84th minute.

On the Norwegian midfielder, Rodgers said: “He is a good player, he is going to really show his talent as he goes through his time at Celtic. He is a fantastic footballer. He has got an edge, he can see a pass, can move well.

“And Yang came into the game and sets up the third goal with a great bit of skill. So I am really pleased for all the boys who came into the game and contributed.”

Aberdeen gave as good as they got in the first half but Nicky Devlin’s short headed back pass allowed Kyogo Furuhashi to fire Celtic back in front after Bojan Miovski had cancelled out Liel Abada’s early opener.

Rodgers said: “Overall it was a very good win, some spells of good football and in those moments of adversity we stayed strong. It will be great for the spirit because we had to come through tough moments.”

Celtic have won 13 times at Pittodrie since last losing an away game against the Dons in February 2016 but Aberdeen boss Barry Robson felt his team’s performance was a forward step.

“We were really brave,” he said. “We tried to go after them and we made the game a bit basketball at times and sometimes it was survival of the fittest out there.

“It was entertaining stuff and it was dangerous at times from us but we wanted to have a go and try and win the game.

“It was probably our own doing with a couple of individual errors that cost us in the end but also the quality of the opposition.

“We tried to play in a way that is aggressive and brings speed to the game and I think we did that.

“I think that’s as good a performance you have seen from an Aberdeen team here against Celtic for a lot of years.”