He has only been a regular in Neil Lennon's side for a year, but at times the Kenyan can make commanding the play look too easy, especially when he is playing in SPL games.

That's why there was genuine concern during the summer that the 21-year-old would look for a quick exit to a tougher – and more lucrative – league.

On occasions, like Dingwall and, more recently, Perth, the standard Wanyama has set for himself has proved difficult to maintain.

However, participation in the Champions League has given him a new focus for his burgeoning talents. And the Celtic boss is sure that the rising star of Scottish football is content to continue his impressive development in the Hoops.

When asked if playing in the SPL and in cup ties like the Scottish Communities League cup match tonight against Raith Rovers is all too easy for Wanyama, and, as a consequence, fails to extend him, Lennon has a ready answer.

"It's because he makes it look easy, that's why he such a good player," said the manager who brought him from Belgian club Beerschot for £900,000.

"He was brilliant on Saturday against Dundee. Him and Brown were excellent. Victor just ate the ground up and ate the play up."

A display which Wanyama capped with a stunning goal from 30 yards, reminding everyone he is so much more than an anchor for the side.

Lennon said: "It's a nice thing to have, that ability to score from distance. Victor has a couple of goals already this season and weighed in with a few last year, too.

"Garry Parker is on his case all of the time about getting into shooting positions.

"I think that's why Victor always comes over and has a little word with Garry when he does score. But it is Victor's play in general which is very impressive."

Lennon is rapidly growing to rely on the comfort blanket Wanyama throws around his team, and will be reluctant to shrug it off tonight when Raith Rovers come to Parkhead on League Cup business.

Such are his energy levels that it does not seem necessary to give the powerhouse the same amount of rest that is afforded to others in the engine room of the team.

However, Lennon knows he has to carefully manage his squad and ensure everyone has enough game time to keep them match-fit.

He also wants to give regular starters like Emilio Izaguirre and James Forrest the chance to play their way back to top form after what has been, for them, a below-par few weeks.

The performances from Izzy have been of a particular concern to the Celtic support who have waited patiently for the Honduran to recapture the form he showed prior to his ankle break he sustained at Aberdeen 13 months ago.

But Lennon believes the full-back is getting there, and that his progress was only derailed by the calls to international duty which have interrupted the start of the club season.

Asked if he has any concerns about Izzy, Lennon replied instantly: "No, we are just telling him to keep on going.Before he went away on the international break at the start of this month he was playing very, very well.

"So, something gets lost along the way. I don't know if it is jet lag or something else, and in the last couple of games he has been a little bit off.

"But on Saturday he was more like himself and we will just keep him going."

Forrest's form has also been the subject of much debate. And while Lennon accepts that wide players, particularly ones so young, can struggle to maintain a level of performance, he recognises the importance of the 21-year-old to his team, so continues to push the Scotland star to bounce back to his best.

"He was a lot better at the weekend than he has been, especially in the second half," said Lennon.

"He was more of a danger and a threat to Dundee. He took on full-backs on a number of occasions, and that is what we want from him."

With so many wide men who rely on beating their opponent, confidence – or the lack of it – can prove costly.

But Lennon does not believe this is lacking in the current Scottish Young Player of the Year's game.

"James is a confident boy and he has a good mentality," said the manager.

"I have no worries about James at all."

Another tie-in between Forrest and Izaguirre is their importance when it comes to supplying crosses for the central strikers.

The delivery has not always been first class in recent matches, and Lennon wants to see improvements to capitalise on the good opportunities their build-up play can produce.

He said: "My criticism of the crossing is that, when players are putting the ball in at times they can be running very quickly and don't always have time to pick someone out.

"So I would like to see more numbers getting into the box because we did put one or two balls towards the far post at the weekend and the wide men were not in on them.

"That's something we will maybe have to look at."

It's further evidence of the microscopic analysis Lennon and his backroom team use in their quest for improvement.

The team will remain a work in progress, but, after the poor showing at Perth the previous week, Lennon is delighted his players are knuckling down to the demands of competing in several different competitions simultaneously.

"Out attitude was better at the weekend," he said. "The intensity to the play was better.

"It's always difficult after Champions League games, and what pleased me was that the players showed good condition.

"In the second half we had a total grip of the game, and that was very pleasing."