Souness should never have dropped Bernard

Olivier Bernard has been reassured by Graeme Souness that his omission from the starting eleven against Bolton was not a result of his ongoing contract wrangle.

Aaron Hughes was preferred to Bernard in the left back spot, a decision that was ultimately unsuccessful as Hughes struggled both in attack and defence.  He was easily beaten on too many occasions and going forward appeared as uneasy as ever.

Bernard’s physical presence was badly missed against an aggressive Bolton side and his return to the team against Tblisi is almost certain.

Following a Hughes mistake in the first half, Bernard could be seen saying something to his pal Laurent Robert who merely shrugged his shoulders in an apologetic look – I don’t think somehow that the French pair were applauding their Northern Irish colleague!