BRENDAN RODGERS is on the brink of making history in Saudi Arabia after ten months in charge of Al-Qadsiah.

The former Celtic boss took the reigns in the Middle East last December, two months after his bombshell Parkhead exit.

And it has been a wildly successful stint in Saudi for the Northern Irishman so far, having guided the side to a fourth-place finish last term.

Now he is looking to go one better this campaign, with his Al-Qadsiah team sitting top of the table.

Rodgers’ side have won eight and drawn one out of nine, putting them a point clear of Al-Hilal at the summit — though Simone Inzaghi’s side hold a game in hand.

So too do Ange Postecoglou’s Al-Nassr, as well as Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli, who are all hot on their heels.

Al-Qadsiah looked set to drop off top spot last night after being held goalless for over 90 minutes by relegation-threatened Al-Taawoun — who introduced on-loan Rangers star Nedim Bajrami as a second-half substitute.

However, up stepped £50million summer signing from Manchester City Tijjani Reijnders in the sixth minute of stoppage time to fire home a last-ditch winner.

It spared Al-Qadsiah’s blushes and kept them a point clear at the top ahead of Friday’s massive clash with title rivals Al-Hilal.

Not only would victory extend their lead at the top, but it would also mark a historic personal milestone for Rodgers.

A win against Al-Hilal would make him the most successful manager in Al-Qadsiah’s Saudi Pro League history.

Last night’s victory over Al-Taawoun took him to 26 league wins — equalling the record set by former boss Michel.

While he needs one more win to break the record outright, Rodgers has reached the 26-win mark considerably faster than his predecessor.

It took the ex-Hoops manager just 36 games, compared to the 43 matches Míchel needed to reach the same tally.

The former Celtic boss admitted taking all three points last night was no easy task — despite facing a side still searching for their first league win of the season.

Rodgers said: “It was a great result for us in a very difficult game.

“We watched Al-Taawoun in their recent matches. They play with five at the back and four in midfield, and they defend with everyone in their own half, which makes them very hard to break down.

“The team’s hunger to win was very clear. I’m proud of how we kept going and kept believing right to the end.”

Rodgers is set to return to Glasgow next summer to finally break his silence on his Parkhead departure.

He has been booked for an exclusive sit-down interview at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall with A Celtic State of Mind in June.

It will come two years after he was branded “divisive, misleading and self-serving” by Dermot Desmond in an astonishing blast.