Manager: We're looking forward to Dens Park clash

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Celtic F.C.

·17 October 2025

Manager: We're looking forward to Dens Park clash

Celtic return to action this weekend when they head to Dens Park to take on Dundee this Sunday (KO: 12noon).

And Brendan Rodgers will be looking for his side to pick up where they left off before the recent international break when they beat Motherwell 3-2 thanks to a last-minute Daizen Maeda goal.

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Maeda will be missing from the squad this Sunday through injury, although there could be a return for Alistair Johnston who is back in full training.

But regardless of who is selected to play, the Celtic manager is looking for three points to kick off what will be a busy schedule of seven games in 21 days.

Speaking ahead on Sunday’s game, Brendan Rodgers said: “We’ve showed glimpses of our game in a lot of our domestic matches, but we just need to find a more consistent level and, of course, that’s something we’re really looking forward to doing.

“The players are working very hard, we had a good victory in our last game against a good team that’s unbeaten in the league so far, so we had to really work for that, and we showed our spirit and our quality by the end of that game.

'So we want to continue in that vein and now the focus is very much on the seven games in 21 days.'

“Our record there is very good over a number of years, but that still doesn’t make it an easy place to go.

“I think Steven will have them really well-organised, he’ll have them competitive and they’ve shown already this season that they can get good results and performances.

"So we know coming back after the international break we have to get our fluency and our tempo into the game as quickly as we can and look to make it really difficult for them hopefully.”

Celtic’s good record at Dens Park in such that you have to go back to September 1988 for the last time the Hoops tasted defeat at that venue – a 1-0 loss courtesy of a goal from Tommy Coyne – but regardless of what has happened before, Brendan Rodgers knows his side cannot turn up on Sunday just expecting another win.

They will have to work hard for it, but it’s something he and his squad are looking forward to.

“I hadn’t really thought about it – I didn’t know the date (of last Dens Park defeat), although I now know – but it never comes into the consideration.

“I’ve always enjoyed going there, it’s a nice open pitch and we always get a great support there, so we know it will be a difficult game but the onus is on us to bring our game to hopefully make the result.

“I think it‘s a really exciting spell for the club, and when you come into this period, especially after the break in November, you’re really starting to get into the thick of it then.

“There’s no doubt that this period now between now and the next break, there are some really big and important games in there, but it’s for us to really embrace it and take on the challenge and just do it.”