Rodgers hopes break can ease Celtic's defensive worries

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hopes the international break will give his defenders some much-needed recovery time.

Most of Rodgers' first-choice back four are nursing injuries.

Central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers has missed four matches with a toe injury but is in line to return in the William Hill Premiership top-of-the-table clash with Aberdeen on 19 October.

Left-back Greg Taylor also sat out Sunday's 2-1 win over Ross County with a calf problem and will miss Scotland's Nations League double-header against Croatia and Portugal.

Alistair Johnston provided a goal and an assist in Dingwall but will not travel back to Canada for a friendly against Panama because he has been troubled by a back issue in recent weeks.

"Ali won't go with the international team, so that gives us a chance to recover him, because he's been working very well," Rodgers said.

"Cam will be joining training later on in this week and then have a good week leading into Aberdeen. So that's good.

"Greg, we will just have to wait and see. But on that I thought young Alex Valle did well (against Ross County). Especially the second half, his positioning was a little bit better.

"But Greg, we hope he'll be back, if not for Aberdeen, then not long after that."

Celtic are in friendly action before the visit of the Dons, taking on Sligo Rovers in a friendly at the Showgrounds on Wednesday.

"I'll be there," Rodgers said. "I'll be taking the team. That plan was in place a few months back.

"Obviously we'll need to recover some players. But there's going to be a number of players that need games. So it will be a mixture of our first-team players in the squad and also some of our young players, because it's my chance to see them.

"But yes, we'll go over there, always