As the canvas starts to take shape, there are a few surprises about the picture Brendan Rodgers is painting at Celtic.

And perhaps none more so than Stuart Armstrong who has gone from nowhere man to being firmly in the colourful hub of it all.

Armstrong got his wish this season when Rodgers granted him his favoured role in the Celtic midfield; but the manner in which he has taken his chance might have raised a few eyebrows.

The former Dundee United midfielder was arguably Celtic’s best player on Saturday afternoon. Of the four goals in this comeback at Fir Park, he netted one and set up two. His all-round drive, tenacity, energy and creativity, though, were pivotal to shaping a victory that gave Celtic the kind of domestic examination they have rarely experienced this term.

Rodgers is right; this is a Celtic team that will lose a domestic game at some point.

His players, though, weren’t quite ready to succumb to that slight this weekend.

At 2-0 down with 45 minutes gone, Celtic faced up to questions that they have not had to ponder in either league or Cup duty this season. And they were not found wanting.

Much has been made about the characteristics that Rodgers has imbued in this team but what was on offer on Saturday wasn’t just a desire and a hunger but a conviction.

Celtic would have been forgiven the long balls into the box as they sought to find a way back into this game.

Instead, they felt their way in through the fast pressing, high intensity play they have favoured throughout this campaign.

While their comeback and the thrilling manner of – Tom Rogic scored the winner within the last minute of regulation time – there was also a sloppy unease that has been entirely uncharacteristic of Celtic this term.

Erik Sviatchenko has won Rodgers’ appreciation through his performances and application but the Danish defender missed the game through illness – and his absence served a reminder of just how pivotal he has become in his pairing with Jozo Simunovic.

The latter finished the game almost as another winger given how far forward he was, but in that opening period neither he nor Kolo Toure covered themselves in glory.

Louis Moult’s brace was impressive; his first a clever, cushioned lob after he had stolen away from Toure to bring down a fine Stephen McManus pass, his second an impressive volley at the back post after Toure again was found wanting.

That may seem a little harsh on the defender who had not played since the home defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach. Toure was brought to the club in order to lend his experience to a backline that needed to see Celtic through to the Champions League.

He has done that but the long-term vision will be to firmly establish the partnership of Simunovic and Sviatchenko.

Rodgers confirmed after the game that the Danish internationalist should be fine for tomorrow’s trip to Manchester where Celtic take on City in their final group game in the Champions League.

It has been an interesting campaign from Rodgers men in the elite tournament but the tendency to concede cheap goals is something that he has worked to eradicate.

Having not lost a domestic goal for 781 minutes before the weekend, it was fair to reflect that a solid base was in the offing.

The manner in which Celtic came back into the game with a fervour and a belief in the second period will have masqueraded some of the deficiencies in the defending, but Rodgers will be well aware that as the club head to the Etihad that any such sloppiness will be not be so easily recovered from.

“In the first half we were disappointing defensively,” admitted Rodgers after the game. “The team couldn’t press like we do as the back-four were too deep, particularly my two centre-halves. We weren’t aggressive enough in the game.

"Up front, we didn’t hold it up so our game was a little bit broken and they were deserving of their lead, and I thought they scored two really good goals but poor defending from us.

“We needed to change the momentum of the game so we changed the shape of the team, going to three-diamond-three to give them different problems and give us more numbers inside, keeping the width and it also allowed us to attack but still have the stability of the back-three.

“It was a big risk at 2-0, especially with the spaces that sometimes it can leave, but the players were exceptional in how they accepted the risk and the level they played at technically and how they worked the spaces tactically, and the goals were sublime.”

Rogic’s tenth goal of the season levels him with his total tally for the last campaign and the fact that the goals tend to come at such important times have not been lost on his manager.

Saturday was one of the rare occasions that Rogic played for the full 90 minutes, a fact that was as pleasing as the goal for Rodgers.

“He’s an amazing player, with a real high level of technique and he’s improving his stamina all the time,” said the Celtic boss. “He’s playing in different positions for us but what he can get goals and he’s scoring important goals. His contribution was outstanding.”