Parkhead flop who performed 0 minutes vs Livi should not begin once more for Celtic

What every week of stoppage-time heroics at Celtic to maintain this season alive – the Martin O’Neill magic continues.

The query stays as to the place this staff could be if that disastrous Wilfried Nancy tenure had been prevented, with O’Neill having received 14 of his 17 matches in cost both aspect of that, dropping only a solitary sport within the Europa League.

The hole to Hearts on the Premiership summit stays at six factors, though with a sport in hand, the champions are nonetheless firmly within the combine, ready for his or her likelihood to pounce if Hearts do slip up over the approaching weeks.

Celtic, it have to be mentioned, are removed from at their greatest proper now, however slowly however absolutely, issues are beginning to come collectively, with the increase of the membership’s January enterprise having offered a special complexion to this squad after such an errant summer season of spending.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was undoubtedly the marquee seize of the window, and the Englishman’s begin to life at Parkhead could not have gone any higher, guaranteeing he would possibly properly have pressured his approach into O’Neill’s greatest XI transferring ahead.

Celtic’s greatest beginning XI after the January window

There’s a newfound depth in Glasgow, even whereas lacking key figures like Jota, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston, with the Northern Irishman blessed with two, if not three, choices in each place.

Ranging from the again, the skilled Kasper Schmeichel stays O’Neill’s man, even after notable error-strewn shows like within the derby, whereas forward of him, it is exhausting to look previous the centre-back pairing of Auston Trusty and Liam Scales.

At full-back, Kieran Tierney has the jersey on the left, even with Marcelo Saracchi working him shut after his Livingston show, whereas on the best, January mortgage signing Julian Araujo has firmly surpassed Anthony Ralston as the primary man in Johnston’s absence.

On the prime finish of the pitch, in the meantime, it seems a straight combat between Tomas Cvancara and Junior Adamu for the quantity 9 berth, with the latter man already off the mark following his debut backheel towards Dundee on the weekend.

Whichever of these two strikers does get the nod, they’re more likely to be flanked by Daizen Maeda and Sebastian Tounekti for the foreseeable, with the Tunisian winger registering three targets and assists throughout his final outings.

Celtic’s prime scorer, Benjamin Nygren, in the meantime, is about to proceed pulling the strings in a quantity ten berth, whereas the sometimes ever-present Callum McGregor is a certainty to start out because the deep-lying midfield orchestrator.

Maybe the most important battle rests in who must be McGregor’s associate transferring ahead within the centre of the park, with a lot competitors more likely to show significantly detrimental for the way forward for one peripheral Parkhead star.

Forgotten Celtic man should not begin once more after Livingston absence

Arne Engels’ early withdrawal via damage afforded the possibility for Reo Hatate to impress in his place towards Livi, with the hope of regaining his common function in that midfield trio.

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As unhealthy as Hatate: O’Neill should drop Celtic star who made 6 passes vs Livi

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the hero for Celtic on Wednesday evening, with Reo Hatate having virtually been the villain.

Frustratingly, the 28-year-old was once more off the ball in his 60-minute outing, hauling down Robbie Muirhead inside the realm amid what was one other lifeless efficiency from the Japanese worldwide.

With Oxlade-Chamberlain subsequently making his mark as a late substitute, after his pleasant curled end in stoppage time, the midfield pecking order may need a special really feel to it, with the skilled Englishman in line to be the ultimate piece of the puzzle, health allowing.

One man who is not even within the dialog then is Paulo Bernardo, with the Portuguese’s omission from the matchday squad offering additional indication of his diminishing standing beneath the O’Neill regime.

The 24-year-old had been given the possibility to impress in Saturday’s Scottish Cup conflict with Dundee, though he merely did not take it, with Celtic’s early struggles seeing the playmaker withdrawn at half-time, alongside new signing Joel Mvuka.

There was for thus lengthy a need to see Bernardo given an opportunity, however that 45-minute efficiency offered an perception as to why he has been on the periphery thus far, after beforehand failing to flourish beneath Brendan Rodgers.

Certainly, of his 82 appearances beneath Rodgers, solely 36 of these got here from the beginning, having since solely began 4 video games throughout each Nancy and O’Neill’s time on the helm.

Like within the case of Balikwisha, who’s been largely ignored by all three of Celtic’s managers this season, it does beg the query as to why each coach has come to the identical conclusion over Bernardo, favouring a string of different choices forward of him.

With Oxlade-Chamberlain now within the door and already thriving, the depth in that midfield division ought to make sure that Bernardo’s days at the moment are numbered at Celtic Park, having made solely seven Premiership appearances all season.

Following the weekend disasterclass towards Dundee, it will be an actual shock to see the ex-Benfica man given the nod once more from the beginning for the rest of the marketing campaign, even with the Hoops competing throughout three fronts, with a return of no targets and assists in 17 video games in all competitions in 2025/26 saying all of it.

Now in his third season in Scottish soccer, Bernardo is unfortunately within the camp of gamers who’ve merely had their likelihood and did not take it.

For the sake of all events, it must be time for a change this summer season.

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was unveiled to the Celtic assist on Saturday night.