Do Celtic’s hopes of a robust end to the season hinge on Kelechi Iheanacho being fit sufficient to start out matches?
The former Manchester City striker has endured an injury-disrupted debut marketing campaign in Scotland, beginning simply eight video games in 18 appearances since his arrival in September.
The 29-year-old has proven he could make an impression off the bench, scoring a double in further time of Celtic’s 6-3 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren on Sunday after netting the late winner in a tense league victory at Dundee earlier this month.
Those objectives took Iheanacho’s tally for the season to 6 in all competitions, which have come from simply 746 minutes of soccer.
That means the ahead averages a purpose each 124 minutes – a formidable statistic, however now Martin O’Neill wants to seek out a means of getting him into beginning line-ups.
Celtic’s season will conclude with a Scottish Cup last in opposition to Dunfermline, however they continue to be within the hunt for the Premiership title and begin their post-split schedule with a go to from Falkirk on Saturday.
“You do worry about the reoccurrence of the injuries with Iheanacho, we’ve had a few of those this season,” Celtic podcaster Paul John Dykes mentioned on the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast.
“But if we can start him and get 60 minutes out of him, then perhaps games will be done and dusted by the time he needs to be replaced.
“Playing Daizen Maeda down the center this season, it is simply not labored. The different choices we have got by means of the center are Junior Adamu and Tomas Cvancara, and Iheanacho is miles forward of them when it comes to high quality.
“So I hope he does start the games. I’d love to see him starting the final six games.”
