Brendan Rodgers has insisted there is nothing frivolous about Celtic’s appeal of Scott Brown’s red card at Dingwall last Sunday.

The Celtic skipper was sent off for a late lunge on Liam Boyce in the immediate aftermath of Ross County’s penalty award, with the Parkhead side quick to table an appeal.

The bank holiday weekend ensured that the appeal freed the midfielder to lead Celtic out of the tunnel this weekend, something that could land the player a longer ban if the appeal is deemed to be of a purely cynical nature.

Rodgers, though, has maintained that the club believe they are well within their rights to believe a yellow card was the correct call.

“I didn’t think it was a red card hence the reason for us to appeal – irrespective of Easter holidays and notes from the SFA,” said Rodgers.

“I felt yes the player was caught late and we appeal because of the inconsistency.

“The same referee was the same referee when Kieran Tierney got a challenge in the Motherwell game at home and the guy (Ryan Bowman) got a yellow card.

“Scott was a fraction late. Yes it was aggressive and at speed but it was mistimed. And it was also following a moment of … ,I think we’ve all seen, and it’s absolutely natural for a player to be angered.

“He’s gone to be hard and aggressive, to win the ball and he’s a fraction out.

“For me, there was a reason there to appeal. Am I glad to have him? Absolutely because he’s been outstanding and not once has he ever shown that this season. Not once.

“How he’s kept his temper and his cool, how he’s played in pressure games. He’s been calm.

“It was a moment that he’s never shown all season.

“He’s experienced enough to know. He knows where he’s at. He could have been not involved in the game and that would have been a disappointment. But he is. And that’s the most important thing.”