Scottish Premiership picks: Rodgers, Ikpeazu & Aberdeen v Hibs in focus

What more is there for Brendan Rodgers to achieve in Scottish football?

The 52-year-old Northern Irishman had already proven himself at the highest level after Liverpool finished Premier League runners-up under his guidance before his first stint as Celtic manager.

However, he has come a long way since suffering an embarrassing 1-0 first-leg Champions League qualifying defeat by part-time Gibraltarian champions Lincoln Red Imps in his first competitive game in charge of the club he supported as a boy.

Celtic enjoyed an undefeated domestic campaign that first season and his ‘invincibles’ went on to achieve a second Scottish treble in a row before he left for Leicester City with his side again top of the pile in 2019.

After he returned to Celtic Park as a replacement for treble-winning Tottenham Hotspur-bound Ange Postecoglou, Rodgers’ team were initially compared unfavourably with the style of play under the Australian as Rangers broke their dominance briefly by lifting the League Cup.

However, another league title and Scottish Cup were to follow and, this season, only Aberdeen in May’s Hampden final stand between Celtic and, barring an improbable Premiership implosion, yet another treble.

Despite Rangers having experienced a season of turmoil, the Ibrox side have exposed some Celtic weakness in successive league Old Firm derby wins and Rodgers’ side have also lost to resurgent Hibs and bottom side St Johnstone.

However, they bounced back with a 5-1 crushing of Kilmarnock and gained a five-goal Scottish Cup semi-final revenge over Saints on Sunday to set up another potential treble party.

A mere point at Tannadice on Saturday and the second trophy will be in the cabinet before another head-to-head with city rivals Rangers the following weekend.

Fourth-top United are themselves seeking a fourth consecutive win, but the omens for Jim Goodwin’s side are not good considering the Tangerines have not beaten Celtic in 22 meetings since a 2-1 home win in December 2016 and they have not scored in the latest four, including a draw followed by two defeats this season.