Celtic have plenty of options ahead of Hampden clash with Rangers
Brendan Rodgers admits Leigh Griffiths has been unlucky to lose his Celtic slot to red-hot Moussa Dembele - but insists he will get his chance to grab it back.
Griffiths blasted 40 goals for the Hoops last term and started this season looking like he was going to match that feat.
But his progress was halted after eight goals in the first 10 games of the new campaign when he suffered hamstring and calf injuries.
Since then France Under-21 international Dembele has seized his chance, with an Old Firm hat-trick and Champions League double against Manchester City helping extend his tally to 13 goals for the season so far.
It appears Scotland international Griffiths will again have to play second fiddle when the Hoops take on Rangers in Sunday's BetFred Cup semi-final at Hampden, but Rodgers stressed Griffiths will be needed as the season goes on.
He said: "The balance in the team is good at the moment - that's unfortunate for the likes of Leigh and Patrick Roberts.
"These are boys who started the season very well. Moussa and James Forrest were on the bench but when Leigh and Patrick got injured, they came in and did very well.
"In fairness to those two and the others who haven't featured as much, they have been training very hard because we have so many games.
"From now up to the Christmas period before the winter break we'll have played something like 44 games if you include pre-season. That's an incredible amount.
"That means I need everyone in the squad. Leigh is a top-class young talent and I know that if I need to play two up front or just the one, he will be ready."
Celtic could have done with Dembele last year when the team - then under the leadership of Ronny Deila - were stunned as Rangers claimed an upset victory at Hampden in the last four of the William Hill Scottish Cup by knocking their old rivals out on penalties.
Rangers will be hoping to take inspiration from that game on their return to Hampden after suffering a 5-1 drubbing at Celtic Park last month, but Rodgers has little interest in what happened before he touched down in Glasgow back in July.
He explained: "This game is on neutral ground. The last time there wasn't so good for Celtic. But it's a different team with a different mentality.
"We will look to take that mentality into Sunday's game. Last year's semi is old news really.
"We look to this season and our first game against them we were very, very good. It was a brilliant performance in every aspect.
"They have some good players and we respect that. But our focus will be very much on ourselves. We'll look to bring our A game and if we do that, as we saw earlier in the season, we have a great chance to win."
Rangers manager Mark Warburton will enjoy meeting up with Rodgers after admitting he has had little time to maintain his friendship with his Celtic counterpart.
The two men worked together at Watford and remained friends afterwards, while Warburton also had contacts at Celtic through his work for a European youth tournament before moving to Glasgow.
Those ties have loosened, but the Rangers boss insists that is mainly down to a lack of time rather than rivalry.
He told his club's official website: "Brendan and I don't speak unfortunately and I think that is just the nature of it.
"I knew a few of the guys at Celtic through the Next Gen tournament, but it's just the nature of the beast because everyone is busy in football.
"Everyone works seven days a week in football and you don't get time to really socialise.
"In truth people should make more effort, me included, to make contact but it's just the way it is.
"I will have a drink with him after the game - win, lose or draw we'll always have a drink. Hampden is a bit different, but at Ibrox we will and we did at Parkhead.
"You go in and show your face and you show common courtesy."
Rodgers has the luxury of a fully-fit squad to choose from but Rangers will be without playmaker Niko Kranjcar.
The Croatian suffered a serious knee injury in a freak training ground injury earlier this week and could be ruled out for months to come if the problem is as bad as Gers chiefs fear.
Warburton welcomes Jordan Rossiter (calf) back into his squad but has concerns over Danny Wilson (thigh). Joey Barton is still serving a club suspension.
Source: PAR
