Brendan Rodgers claims Celtic have star on hands as he has say on unity and Michael Nicholson meeting

Iheanacho arrived a day after the transfer deadline on a free and came on as a 70th-minute replacement for Daizen Maeda, who had earlier opened the scoring for Celtic. However, Kilmarnock looked to have earned a point when David Watson headed home on 82 minutes, only for a controversial penalty award for a handball against Lewis Mayo in added-on time allowed the Nigerian hitman to coolly convert and send Celtic back to the top of the table.

With usual penalty taker Arne Engels on the bench, Rodgers hailed Iheanacho’s courage to take it, saying that he wanted him to strike it rather than Benjamin Nygren, who had also shown an interest in hitting it.

The Celtic boss has worked with Iheanacho in the past and had no doubt he would be able to handle the magnitude of the moment. And now he expects the former Leicester and Man City player to kick on at Parkhead.

“I was really pleased with Kels,” said Rodgers. “I think the last penalty he took was for me at Wembley, when we beat Man City in the Community Shield. And I think that's a big moment for him, with the supporters and everything else. He's still got to score it, and we scored it, and then he took the win.

“There's no doubt he's got big moments in him, and once he gets fitter, he's only going to get better. Our penalty taker has been off the pitch. I think Benji wanted the penalty and had the confidence, which is great. But my message was for Kels, I know what he brings, I know the confidence he brings, and I also know what a goal will do for him.”

Rodgers now hopes for some Celtic unity

Rodgers was pleased to negotiate what has been a tricky venue for Celtic in the past amid protests from some supporters who did not enter Rugby Park until the 12th minute. They wanted to visibly show their frustration at the board for what they deem to be poor recruitment and spending at the club.

“That's what this club is about, and that feeling and that Celtic spirit that keeps you going,” Rodgers said of the players’ jubilant celebration at the end with the supporters. “I'm delighted for the players, first and foremost, because like I said, all eyes on them today.

“It was a difficult surface, everything we know about Kilmarnock, a difficult team to play against, but to come out and get the win and, as I said, get that feeling [of unity]. And I've been here often enough, like some of the senior players, to know the importance of a win like that, even early in the season. It's an important victory.”

Rodgers was asked how his meeting with chief executive Michael Nicholson went on Friday after a fiery press conference in which the Celtic manager once again lamented the club’s transfer business and called for an investigation into which member of the hierarchy briefed against him to a national newspaper.

“Listen, Michael's a good man,” explained Rodgers. “He's a good man. I have a really good relationship with him and Chris [McKay, chief finance office], because they're the guys that I deal with day-to-day. So, yes, we all know what it is we need to assess and look at and be better at.

“You look at Sebastian [Tounekti] today. We have him in, and when we wanted to have him in, it could be a different spot for us. Outstanding he was. So these are all things that we need to find clarity on and be better at. But in the meantime, the concentration is on football.”