Brendan Rodgers says that the best is yet to come from winger Yang Hyun-jun, as he backed the 21-year-old to bounce back from his red card disappointment against Hearts and fight his way back into the reckoning for a start on the right of the Celtic attack.

Yang was at the centre of a controversial afternoon at Tynecastle when he was ordered off by referee John Beaton for a high boot offence after a VAR check, with Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers facing a Scottish FA charge at Hampden tomorrow for criticising the official in the aftermath of his side’s eventual 2-0 defeat.

Yang subsequently sat out of Celtic’s next two matches, with January arrival Nicolas Kuhn seizing his chance to impress in the Scottish cup win over Livingston and the Premiership defeat of St Johnstone prior to the international break.

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Rodgers was frustrated for his player as his own momentum was halted by what he felt was an unjust refereeing decision, but he will be available once more as the champions travel to face Livingston on league duty on Sunday lunchtime, and his manager has backed him to give him a selection headache going forward.

“I can see his progress, he did great against Dundee [in the 7-1 win] and he has been progressing every day in training,” Rodgers said.

"We spoke to him, it wasn’t his fault [the red card against Hearts], it was unfortunate and sadly he has missed a couple of games.

“He will be back and feeling great and if anything, it gave us the opportunity to put Nicolas Kuhn in as well.

"Now he looks like he has come onto his game and looking stronger. He looks a different player in training now. So, it’s been a great opportunity for him.

"If nothing else, after those couple of games, what we gained from that is game time for Nicolas who has shown up really well, then Yang comes back and we have two really good players for that position.

“He has been working on his overall game, his understanding out on the field. HIs analysis behind the scenes. Getting his upper body strength because it’s a physical game here and in Europe.

“Whatever league you are in in Britain it’s a physically demanding league. He has just grown throughout the season and it’s so good to see.”

Yang is just one of the summer Celtic signings who have taken time to settle and make an impression this term, flitting in and out of the starting XI despite clocking up 27 appearances in all competitions so far during the campaign, and scoring just the single goal in the 6-0 romp over Aberdeen back in November.

Rodgers says it is only natural that players coming from different cultures and styles of football might struggle to make an instant impact in Scotland, and that is a factor which is sometimes discounted as snap judgements are made and little allowance is given to allow new signings time to acclimatise.

“People not only forget it, but don’t understand it, or don’t want to understand it,” he said.

“You can’t just drop someone into a football club from the other side of the world and expect them to adapt to the culture, food, training, all these various facets it takes.

“Some do, some it takes time, and you have to give those players that time. Especially a young player to come into a club of this magnitude. You have to work with them and bring them through.

“We can see clear developments and hopefully that continues.”

Meanwhile, Rodgers has been happy with the progress of one of the other South Korean players who was bought to Celtic in the close season, Kwon Hyeok-kyu, who has found consistent first-team Premiership football since joining St Mirren on loan in January.

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The midfielder has been a regular at the heart of Stephen Robinson’s midfield, and Rodgers says that he couldn’t be in a better place – or be working under a better manager than his Northern Irish compatriot Robinson – in order to develop his game and adapt to his new league.

“Again, it’s an opportunity to go and play,” he said.

“We are really pleased. I spoke to Stephen, he needed game time with the squad being too big here. “He is a talented player and hopefully he has gone and shown that and the guys are really delighted with him there.”