What Brendan Rodgers has said about 'tenacious' Celtic midfielder as challenge laid out to loan star

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has talked up the performance of Paulo Bernardo during his side's clinical 3-0 thrashing of ten-man St Mirren - insisting the midfielder is "growing and developing" with every game.

The Portuguese youngster, signed on a season-long loan from Benfica last summer, has had to bide his time for a consistent run of games since joining the club. But he is starting to flourish for the Hoops after building on goals against Dundee and Rangers by playing a starring role in Paisley.

Bernardo - making his fourth consecutive start - grabbed two assists at the SMiSA Stadium and Rodgers is now challenging the 21-year-old to produce such performances on a more consistent basis as he looks to keep the returning Reo Hatate out of the starting eleven.

"It is all patience," Rodgers admitted post-match. "Sometimes at big clubs there is no patience with young players. You can see him growing and developing. When you have young players that is what tends to happen if their attitude is right, and their mentality is right.

"He has come in in these last few games and created goals and scored goals and he has put his foot in too. He is tenacious. I'm absolutely delighted for him. It is now about consistency."

Bernardo's form has been aided by the contribution of fellow midfielder Callum McGregor and Matt O'Riley, who strolled through the contest. And Rodgers added: "In all teams I've ever had it's the combination of the three, it's never just the one. The three are so important, and whether he is in there with Reo Hatate or Matt or Callum, it's the combination of the three.

"But he's a great learner, he's a different type of player, maybe not as dynamic as Hatate, but he's functional and he learns. He knows the runs, he knows the pressing triggers, and he's developing and improving."