Adam is a Big game player: Brendan Rodgers greeted striker idah after Ibrox Equalizer and says he has proven more than his value to Celtic

Brendan Rodgers says that Adam Idah has proven that he is a big game player after the Irish has previously prevented Celtic fall to a third consecutive loss against Rangers.

The striker regretted a missed opportunity in the first half when the Ibrox side went straight on the other side and the opener scored by Cyriel Dessers.

But Idah did not allow him to influence it and made it short for the hour to be earned for the Premiership champions.

A £ 9 million signing from Norwich last summer, Idah has passed a 14-game bare saying in the winter.

However, Rodgers feels the 18th club goal of the player of the season – his third against Rangers in 18 months – showed why he was brought to the club on Sunday on top of his general performance.

“I thought he was a good reference for us today,” said Rodgers.

“He wasn’t too despondent from the Miss in the first half. He continued. It was a beautiful touch (before he scored) and he has that power in the box.

“I am really happy with him. He has made a real contribution this season. If you look at the ratio of the minutes for goals, it is very, very good.

“He is a player for the big moment and it was a big moment for him.”

Rodgers thought that his side was worth the point that ensured that they stayed 17 points ahead at the top of the premiership.

“Today it looked much more like we,” he added. ‘Of course some players missed. But the mentality of the team was very good.

‘We played with a real good control in what was clearly a difficult place to play.

‘Rangers started with a diamond, so we had to find a way through it and I thought we had a lot of spells.

“Maybe we were just briefly in certain steps and making the last pass. But in general I thought we had really good control over the game. We probably have to go one and then we go back to them again just before the break, so it’s not a good time to admit.

‘But I say to the players, they have done a lot of really good things. We just have to keep our rhythm, keep passing, keep control of the game and hopefully the goal will eventually come. ‘

Rodgers praised his players for the way they encountered the challenge of Rangers, continued: ‘There were many long throws in the box, many deep free kicks.

‘You are not going to win 100 percent of it. But what we had to do, we did well. ‘

Celtic had the opportunity to seal a victory at the end when Daizen Maeda clearly rushed, only for Ranger’s keeper Liam Kelly to save.

Rodgers revealed that the wing player may have been hindered by the fact that he had just returned from Japan, where he hoped to witness the birth of his child – only for his wife not to give birth.

“Yes, we have to give him a little play,” said Rodgers. “He had been to Japan all week, he had his first training day with us yesterday.

“He flew expected his wife to have their third child and she didn’t have it, so he had to come back and then commit himself to a competition here at Ibrox.

“It’s one of those difficult moments. He is through, he has control and approaches the keeper. But in honesty towards Liam, he did well, he had a good spread on it and I am not sure if he (Maeda) can get the square for us to end. ‘

Rodgers confirmed that Nicolas Kuhn missed with bruises on his knee, but should be back next week to see Hibs.

Cameron Carter vickers looks like a few weeks are equipped to prevent his difficult hamstring problem from keeping him out of the Scottish Cup final with Aberdeen.

“He plays with a bit of a problem that if he can get a kind of injection, it will make it right,” said Rodgers.

“Our priority is of course to win the Scottish Cup final.”