Brendan Rodgers praises Celtic keeper Craig Gordon after clean sheet milestone

Posted Friday, April 06, 2018 by PA

Brendan Rodgers saluted Craig Gordon after the veteran goalkeeper racked up his 100th clean sheet in his 200th Celtic appearance in the goalless Ladbrokes Premiership draw against Dundee at Parkhead.

The 35-year-old Scotland international returned from a knee injury which had kept him out since January, taking over from on-loan Scott Bain who was ineligible against his parent club.

Gordon, who missed two years of his career due to a knee injury before he signed for Celtic in 2014, was not overly busy but did make a fine save from Simon Murray on a night of frustration for the home side, who went 10 points clear of Aberdeen with six games remaining.

Rodgers said: “It is a great statistic for him considering a few years ago he thought he was maybe done.

“It was great to have him back, back early and he looked as if he had never been away.

“He looked very composed and great for him.

“He was excellent, like I say you never thought he was out for that period of time.

“He has worked very hard in his rehabilitation, he has gradually worked himself back in. No nerves, picked his passes and what he had to do he did very well.”

Rodgers bemoaned a lack of cutting edge from his side.

The Northern Irishman said: “I thought a lot of our play was very good, we worked the ball through the thirds really well into lots of good areas.

“It was a mix of us not having that final bit of quality in the final third to make the breakthrough and some good defending by Dundee.

“Their three central defenders blocked space and made it difficult for us.

“I think if we get that breakthrough it opens it up for us.

“But, six games to go, 10 points clear, a clean sheet, some good football, but it was just that cutting edge that we suffered from.”

After a 1-1 home draw with Hearts on Sunday, a well-organised and disciplined Dundee moved five points clear of the bottom two sides Ross County and Partick Thistle which boss Neil McCann claimed should give his players added belief.

He said: “I am very proud of my team.

“Two games in quick succession against two of the better sides, Celtic being the top side in the country by a stretch and two very different types of performances we put in.

“So I couldn’t be happier. We have used a bit of time in the international break to work on certain things and I felt tonight, as much as Celtic had plenty of shots from outside the box, I don’t think they particularly opened us up too much.

“I always felt there was an element of comfort watching them.

“We could have stolen it at the end with Mark (O’Hara) with a great ball flashed across the box but to a man they were brilliant. It should reinforce the belief.”