Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Joe Hart raved about Leigh Griffiths to him in the aftermath of Scotland's 2-2 draw with England at Hampden earlier this month.

Griffiths thought he had won the game for Gordon Strachan's side after putting Scotland in front with two quick free-kicks in the late stages, only for Harry Kane to provide a sting in the tail.

Rodgers met England stopper Hart in Majorca after the game with Griffiths' name a prominent feature in their conversation.

The Celtic manager was critical at various points of last season about Griffiths’ lifestyle off the pitch and the number of injuries he felt it contributed to, but he was an appreciative spectator he watched him lead the line for Gordon Strachan’s side.

“Before he had the free-kicks, I thought he was outstanding,” Rodgers told Celtic TV. “As someone who wants to develop players, I am looking at his all-round game. He pressed at the top end of the field and it was very difficult for him at times because Scotland were slotted into 5-4-1 when they didn’t have the ball and the ball was coming forward but he was putting Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill under real pressure. I thought he pressed very well and with real intelligence in the game.

“With the ball, I thought his set-up play was exceptional, he didn’t give away too many balls. The quality of his first-touch was very good and his link-up play in terms of his overall game was very, very good.

You know with Leigh Griffiths that at whatever level he is playing at, from 25 yards in he is as good as you will see. He has this incredible knack of that. I bumped into Joe Hart when I was away on holiday and he commented on the level of free-kick and Joe has faced many top class players. But to do it in a game of that magnitude… you know, the first one is Leigh all day, he has great swerve, great bend. “He was close earlier on with a free-kick if you remember in the game when he hit it really well but it just didn’t come in enough. But to do it in quick succession, to get that composure, to not just do it on the goalkeeper’s left but to do it on his right-side, they were two goals that were worthy of winning the game. It was unfortunate to concede late on but his performance and his two goals were exceptional.”

Celtic are expected to kick off their UEFA Champions League qualifiers with a game in Belfast, assuming that the Northern Irish side overcome San Marino minnows La Fiorita in their opening qualifier, the first leg of which takes place next week.

The date of the potential tie against Linfield and Celtic has been switched from the 12th July to Friday the 14th July in an attempt to defuse the tension around the game. The move comes after extensive talks between the PSNI and both clubs, with the police voicing their concerns about the policing of any game on the 11th or 12th given that it is the climax to the Orange Order’s marching season.