The 26-year-old brilliant star is now the most Important player that most….

Brendan Rodgers reckons Tomoki Iwata has been invaluable as a cover star for Celtic this season.

But whether the Japan international can become a regular in a midfield soon to be packed with Hoops poster boys again remains the big question. Iwata has started the last five games in what’s been his most sustained run of action since Rodgers replaced Ange Postecolglou at the helm last summer. Saturday’s 3-1 win over St Johnstone that saw Celtic return to the top of the table was his 18th appearance of the campaign.

And the manager insists he’d have had more had it not been for niggling injuries curtailing his flow earlier in the season. Iwata has proved to be a valuable addition in the absence of Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate and anchored the midfield again against Saints, keeping it simple in possession but also providing a threat further forward. The 26-year-old had one effort hacked off the line and another brilliantly saved by Dimitar Mitov before he somehow headed over the bar from just two yards out late on.