Brendan Rodgers 'issue' incoming as Celtic board warned over January stalemate with rising tensions detected

Celtic legend Pat Bonner fears that an issue is "coming down the road" for the Parkhead club if the board don't back Brendan Rodgers in January.

Defeat to Kilmarnock showed the weaknesses in the Scottish Premiership leaders side as a Hoops side without the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Daizen Maeda, Liel Abada and Reo Hatate fell flat in Ayrshire to suffer their first league defeat of the campaign. It leaves the Parkhead outfit five points clear of Rangers at the top of the table - with Philippe Clement's men having played a game less than the table toppers.

But the list of absences will only grow for Rodgers next year with Oh Hyeon-gyu and Kyogo Furuhashi set to jet off for the Asian Cup - leaving Celtic without a regular striker when the tournament arrives. The Irishman has spoken openly about his desire to add a new frontman when the winter window opens - as well as being keen to move away from recruiting project players and snap up experienced stars.

And concerned legend Bonner reckons the board will have to stump up the cash to back the man in the hot seat of risk a strain on the relationship with the boss. Following defeat to Killie, he told BBC Sportsound: "If Brendan Rodgers goes after a player, he is maybe going to have to go after a player that is not in the team and you might have to pay over the odds to get that player in.

"But, the club have got to back him on that front. If they don't I can see an issue coming down the road."