Leigh Griffiths believes that Scott Brown has been head and shoulders above everyone in the Celtic squad this season – and the striker has also tipped Stuart Armstrong to be in the running for this season’s Player of the Year award.

The Celtic skipper has been outstanding since the arrival of Brendan Rodgers and Griffiths has been impressed with the way in which Brown has elevated his own game this season.

“The gaffer has come and revitalised the whole squad,” said the striker.

“Scott has been magnificent. He is head and shoulders above everyone in the squad. He could play anywhere just now and if he was to be asked to play at left-back, as striker, as a central defender, he would give his all for this team. He is outstanding.

Read more: Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths determined to seize the day

“He has always played a captain’s role since I have been in this team but he has been untouchable on the park for us this season. He’s been immense and he deserves a lot of credit for that.”

Armstrong, too, has come to the fore in recent months, with Griffiths believing that if the player sustains his current performance levels that he will be in among the awards at the end of the campaign.

The former Tannadice player has impressed in the middle of the park, a position he was overlooked for last term, and Griffiths is pleased for his team-mate that he is finally revealing the potential that he always carried.

International duty has been something of a frustration for Griffiths, even when he was regularly starting and scoring at Celtic, but he expects that Armstrong will offer too much for Gordon Strachan to ignore.

“Stuart has had a new lease of life and he is like a Duracell bunny; he just never runs out of energy,” he said. “He has been great and I would argue that he is one of the players of the season, even at this early stage. There has been talk of him getting a Scotland call-up and in my opinion he deserves that. He has been great and he is chipping in with good goals.

Read more: Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths determined to seize the day

“That is the Stuart Armstrong that we saw at Dundee United and that is the reason why he was brought here. The Celtic fans are getting the chance to see the real Stuart Armstrong now and that is brilliant to see because he had to wait for his chance as well. It just shows what can happen if you get a run of games.”

Meanwhile, Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy expects that tonight’s game against Hamilton Accies as well as Saturday’s game against Dundee will come too early for Scott Sinclair or James Forrest.

“James will miss the games against Hamilton and Dundee and we’ll assess him from there,” said Kennedy.“It’s minor, a slight hamstring injury, but nothing too serious.

“James has been a big part of the team with the pace he brings us and his confidence is back. That’s a big thing for James. Playing with that confidence and belief in himself.

“The way the team is structured allows him to get higher up the pitch and into important areas where he can do his magic.

“If you get him one v one against most full-backs, he can cause them trouble, so it’s important we get him back and make sure he is right when we do so.

“Scott is still in rehab and, maybe, we’ll see him at training at some point next week. He’s still early rehab, so with a little bit to go. Scott is doing a bit of work with the physios and he has been looking good.

Read more: Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths determined to seize the day

“He is a player who does not pick up a lot of injuries and that’s a good thing because it means he’s strong and robust, so we’ll see where he is at next week. We’re sitting in a good place at the moment and he’s an important player for us, so we won’t rush him back and put him in trouble.”

Kieran Tierney was spotted doing some light jogging yesterday at Lennoxtown but it is unlikely that the player will be back before the turn of the year as he recuperates from ankle ligament and shoulder surgery.