The Celtic star who has provided a 'buzz' ahead of Rangers clash as Brendan Rodgers unleashes derby trump card

John Kennedy says Reo Hatate has been unleashed ahead of Celtic meeting Rangers.

The midfielder looked impressive in a 3-0 win away at Livingston as he made his return from injury. He caused the own goal opener before Paulo Bernardo and Matt O'Riley efforts moved the Hoops a point ahead of their rivals - who have a game in hand.

Next up for Celtic is that trip to Ibrox and assistant coach Kennedy reckons Hatate looked in fine fettle ahead of a major clash with Rangers, as goalscorer Bernardo also gets a special mention. Kennedy said: "He was on it right from the first minute and he has been in training, which is why the gaffer thought to get him in the team quickly. He’s been terrific the last few weeks.

"He came back in good condition and worked hard. We had the game last week to give him some minutes and he was really good, so it was time to unleash him. I think you can see what he brings to the team, and even when he came off, Paulo came on, gave us a bit of buzz and got his goal.

"The squad is taking shape. Cam has another 90 minutes under his belt and with Reo back in we’ve pretty much got a full bill of health. We’re in good shape going into the run-in, but for us, it’s just about focusing on performance and maintaining that level.

"He’s obviously not fully up to speed but I think we can see today that he’s in pretty good condition, and it’s just the confidence he brings to the team as well. He plays with that composure. Even on a difficult pitch, you can see how he brings calmness to the game.

"He sees the passes which the front players thrive on and he gives us a slightly different dynamic. It’s important to have him back. It’s just about getting him through the week now, getting him that extra bit fitter going into next week."