• Home
• World Football

Marley Watkins' goal gave Kilmarnock victory over Celtic in August at Rugby Park

Brendan Rodgers hopes Sunday's trip to Rugby Park is one of last times Celtic have to play on an artificial pitch in the Scottish Premiership.

Kilmarnock, who knocked Celtic out the Viaplay Cup at home in August, aim to install a grass pitch once their new training ground is up and running.

Reports also claim artificial pitches could be banned in the top flight.

"The sooner that is the possibility up here then the better it would be for everyone," Celtic manager Rodgers said.

"It's a constant conversation. It's clear that every coach would want to play, I'm pretty sure, on a grass pitch."

Visit our Celtic page for all the latest news, analysis and fan viewsYou can now get Celtic news notifications in the BBC Sport app - find out more

Responding to a report that the SPFL will hold talks in the new year over a potential rule change, Livingston manager David Martindale claimed that moving from plastic to grass could cost his club £2.5m.

"I understand the economics of it all and what it would mean for some clubs," Rodgers said. "But there should be a certain level or a certain standard of which every team, if you are playing in the top flight, should have a grass pitch."

Rodgers believes his side are better equipped for Sunday's trip to Ayrshire than they were when losing 1-0 in the League Cup in August.

"Certainly, where the team is at now is a far different place to back then," Rodgers said. "It was probably a good time to play us with players coming in and the challenges we had. It's a different team - the structure and attitude is different."

South Korea striker Oh Hyeon-gyu improved his hopes of playing in the Asian Cup in January after netting two goals in Wednesday's 4-1 win over Hibernian in only his second start under Rodgers.

With Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda in the running for the Japan squad, Rodgers is poised to go into the transfer market for a striker.

"It will depend," he said, when asked about his plans for a new striker in January. "Clearly we are trying to anticipate over the last few months the guys that will go away to the Asian Cup.

"Clearly, if Daizen is away, Kyogo is away and Oh is away, we would have to do something in the market."

Our coverage of Celtic is bigger and better than ever before - here's everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a momentEverything Celtic - go straight to all the best content

Source: bbc.com