Arne Engels Under Scrutiny Amidst Celtic’s Strong Run

Celtic maintains its strong form under Brendan Rodgers, both in domestic competitions and in Europe. A 1-1 home draw against Club Brugge on Wednesday brought the Glasgow team nearer to qualifying for the Champions League knockout stage. This result extends their unbeaten run to 11 matches, following their sole defeat this season—a 7-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund—across 20 games. Domestically, they hold a two-point lead at the top of the table. Despite their seemingly unstoppable progress, which is anticipated to persist past Saturday given their victories over upcoming visitors Ross County in their last 12 encounters, uncertainties persist regarding several player positions. Kyogo Furuhashi’s goal-scoring efficiency is under scrutiny, particularly with Adam Idah as an alternative, as his five goals this season place him as only a joint top scorer in the Premiership alongside nine other players, including Ross County’s Ronan Hale. Furthermore, the left-back position sees competition between Scotland international Greg Taylor and Alex Valle, a 20-year-old on loan from Barcelona. Nevertheless, the primary focus following the midweek fixtures is on central midfield. Here, some pundits and supporters have advocated for Paulo Bernardo to replace Arne Engels. Engels initially performed well after his £11 million transfer from Augsburg in August, but following another quiet midweek display, manager Rodgers has had to publicly support the 21-year-old Belgium international for the second occasion recently. Concurrently, his Portuguese teammate, Paulo Bernardo, has demonstrated his capabilities when introduced as a substitute. Given that Ross County has only secured one victory at Celtic Park historically, and currently holds a record of seven away matches without a win—extending to 23 league games overall without an away victory—their upcoming visit could present an opportune moment for Engels to restore his confidence.