Brendan Rodgers impressed by Kieran Tierney as Celtic cruise past Kilmarnock

The Hoops were cruising through to the quarter-finals with a Leigh Griffiths double and a first Celtic goal for 18-year-old Anthony Ralston when 20-year-old Tierney, captain in the absence of suspended Scott Brown, fired in a wonderful fourth from 35 yards.

That came in the 65th minute and was followed by midfielder Stuart Armstrong completing the rout from close range.

Manager Rodgers said: "We have got some real senior guys at the club I could give the armband to, like Mikael Lustig and Craig Gordon, but when you are talking about the future, once Scott's time is up which it won't be for a few years, he is made for it.

"He is of that ilk. He doesn't waste his time doing stupid things, he is concentrated on his football, he is not drinking, he trains like an animal every day and wherever you ask him to play he plays it to a high level.

"Tactically he is improving all the time and he is an absolute joy to work with.

"He would fit the mould as a captain. He is on that journey to lead the club."

Ralston was one of five teenagers in the starting line-up, joining Kundai Benyu, Kristoffer Ajer, Calvin Miller and Eboue Kouassi, which pleased the Hoops boss.

Rodgers said: "It was a great demonstration of the strength of our squad. We had six players 20 and under at the start of the game.

"It also shows it is a club for young players to develop and come through and I was delighted for Tony Ralston to get his first goal."

Kouassi went off with a knee injury in the first half and Rodgers said: "It was the only disappointment. We will wait to see the scan."

Kilmarnock boss Lee McCulloch had no complaints about the result.

He said: "It was hard work.

"It was always going to be an uphill task after losing the penalty and we gave away a couple of poor goals but to be brutally honest we didn't deserve a lot from the game.

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