Brendan Rodgers believes that the number of games Nicolas Kuhn has played this season has contributed to his recent dip in form, with the winger hooked at half time in the defeat to St Johnstone last weekend.
Kuhn set a blistering pace in the first half of the campaign, and has found the net on 18 occasions so far this term, but he has failed to score since his strike against Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena in February, drawing blanks in his last seven appearances.
“Yes, it is [a hard time for him],” Rodgers said.
“But Nicolas has got fantastic ability. He's a good guy. And probably is one of those players coming in on the back of this being most games he's ever played. The most intensity he's played in. The most goals he's ever scored.
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“So, it's been a really, really long season for the likes of him. And he's been outstanding for us. But, listen, my priority is always the players. My priority is always them. “So, I'm always there to support, to give them the little jolt when they need it. To put the arm around them and protect them when it's needed.
“He's done fantastic for us. But I want him and the others to finish the season really strong. And then they can go into the summer and feel really good about themselves.”
Yang Hyun-jun had been tipped by some to displace Kuhn on the right of the Celtic attack following some impressive cameos from the bench, but Rodgers revealed that the South Korean has suffered a sprained elbow following an awkward fall at McDiarmid Park last week.
“Hopefully, yeah,” he said. “I think it's two weeks in a sling and then we'll assess it from there.”
