BRENDAN RODGERS admits he feared the worst when he heard a SNAP during Jonny Hayes’ challenge with Josh Meekings.
The Celtic winger was left writhing in agony after the players went full-blooded into a challenge for the ball on the half-way line.
Meekings was able to limp off himself but Hayes was taken away to hospital on a stretcher.
Hoops boss Rodgers is hoping to receive good news after Celtic’s medical staff suggested the ex-Aberdeen man may only have bone bruising.
And he admits that outcome would be a huge relief after initially fearing he’d broken his leg.
He said: “Hopefully it’s not too serious with Jonny.
“It was clearly hurting him a lot when he was on the pitch, you could see that.
“I feared the worst at the time, when I heard the noise I was looking directly at his leg to see what state it was in.
“There was a noise but I think it must have just been a clash of their shin pads.
“He is away for an x-ray and that will tell us where he’s at.
“We are hoping it’s just bruising of his shin bone.
“Both boys came off so I hope Josh Meekings is okay as well, they are two tough players.
“There was nothing in it, there wasn’t any malice.
Leigh Griffiths mouthed ‘I’m the man’ to the Celtic support when he netted the Hoops' second and he now hopes he’s fired his way into a starting berth against Rangers on Saturday.
Rodgers insists he was pleased with the Scotland star’s all-round contribution because he doesn’t just judge them on finding the net.
He said: “Every player wants to start against Rangers and everyone should do.
“Leigh took his goal well and tactically he was very good in the game.
“Whenever he got the ball I thought he was good.
“He pressed well and got into good positions and his goal is what he does.
“It was a very good goal.
“Strikers will always want to score goals.
“That’s how they get judged: goals and games.
“But we have to have strikes who can press, can set the tempo of intensity at the top end of the field.
“If not, the whole structure of the team doesn’t work quite so well.
“There is no doubt he has the ability to score goals, as does Moussa [Dembele], as does young Odsonne [Edouard].
“The great thing is we now three strikers all fighting for that place.
“It’s not just about scoring goals for me, it’s about how they press the game and the intensity they provide.
Rodgers watched his team pass the ball around Dundee for long spells in this contest and praised them for maintaining their focus.
After seeing Dundee cause Aberdeen and Rangers big problems at Dens in recent times he knew it could have been tough yesterday.
But his players approached it with the right attitude to draw eleven points clear at the head of the Premiership.
Rodgers said: “It was a very, very good performance.
“We started the game well and were in control against a Dundee team who have shown here against the likes of Aberdeen and Rangers they can play.
“It was always going to be a difficult game for us but I thought we controlled it and scored two very good goals.
“We got into areas where we could hurt Dundee, we had to be patient but we did in the end.
“I was pleased with the hunger. It’s not enough to just want to win a game because Dundee wanted to win it as well, you have to be hungry for it.
“You have to get tight to people, get close to them and press them. How we press is the identity we have created for ourselves as a team.
“You have to have the motivation and commitment to win the ball back and counter on the opposition.