Celtic return to Scottish Premiership motion following their SFA Cup win over Dundee once they welcome Livingston to Parkhead on Wednesday evening.
Martin O’Neill’s aspect wanted additional time to beat Stephen Pressley’s aspect after Ethan Hamilton put the guests forward with a roar final weekend.
Junior Adam’s equalizing purpose within the 97th minute despatched the sport into additional time, protecting the Hoops within the sport, however Sebastian Tunekuti’s purpose initially of additional time sealed their place within the quarter-finals.
It was a dream debut for Adam, who arrived on mortgage from Freiburg on deadline day, coming off the bench and brilliantly flicking Tunekti’s ball throughout the field into the underside nook.
The Austrian worldwide scored only one purpose within the Bundesliga within the first half of the season, however between 2020/21 and 2022/23 he has scored 32 targets, displaying he has the potential to turn into a daily goalscorer.
How can Celtic play Junior Adam and Tomas Kvankala collectively?
Adam, who scored towards Dundee at Parkhead on Saturday, might be a candidate to begin in his Premiership debut towards Kilmarnock.
However the issue is that Tomas Kvankala has scored and assisted in his first two league video games since arriving on mortgage from Borussia Mönchengladbach, that means O’Neill has to discover a approach for the pair to play collectively.
Adam has performed 9 video games for granted winger in his membership profession. He may begin on the precise wing towards Dundee rather than Joel Mvuka, who connected 45 minutes into his Celtic profession, with Kvankala probably transferring into the center.
That would go away Tunekti and Hyun-Jung Yang competing for a beginning spot on the left, with James Forrest and Mvuka offering help on the precise.
Alternatively, O’Neill may preserve Adam as an influence substitute for now and produce him in for Kvankala, permitting the Hoops to herald a recent centre-forward in the direction of the tip of video games.
Whether or not he begins or comes off the bench, the Austrian attacker appears like a promising addition to the squad after a dream debut, however this might spell dangerous information for Celtic’s different ahead.
Celtic forwards who ought to by no means begin once more
Now that Kvankala and Adam have each come via the ranks and scored their first targets for the Scottish giants, there’s one Hoops ahead who ought to by no means begin once more this season.
Kelechi Iheanacho joined the membership on a free switch the day after deadline day final summer season after the recruiting workforce did not signal a striker to cross the road in time for Brenden Rodgers.
Sadly, the previous Manchester Metropolis and Leicester Metropolis centre-forward has been affected by a hamstring downside and has missed 19 matches within the matchday squad via harm in all competitions.
The skilled ahead has solely performed 32 minutes in 2026, 22 minutes towards Utrecht and 10 minutes towards Falkirk, and was not included in final weekend’s sport towards Dundee.
Iheanacho has proven flashes of high quality, scoring three targets in 10 video games within the Premier League and Europa League, however he has not featured repeatedly sufficient to offer the workforce with a constant supply of targets.
Along with his lack of sport alternatives, the Nigeria worldwide has additionally struggled to effectively convert the alternatives which have offered him in 5 Premiership appearances for the membership this season.
25/26 Premiership | Iheanacho |
|---|---|
Look | 5 |
begins | 3 |
xG | 3.36 |
the purpose | 2 |
missed a giant alternative | 3 |
A giant alternative has arisen | 3 |
help | 0 |
The 29-year-old marksman has underperformed when it comes to xG with two targets in 5 league video games, which might be another excuse why the Hoops opted to signal two strikers within the January switch window.
Celtic may have left after signing Kvankala within the hope that Iheanacho would keep wholesome and function backup to the Czech worldwide, however O’Neill additionally signed Adam to offer additional firepower.
With the duo a power to be reckoned with and already scoring targets, Iheanacho mustn’t begin one other sport for the Hoops between now and his contract expires in the summertime.
The skilled Premier League striker was definitely worth the danger on a free switch final summer season, however his type and health didn’t go effectively for the membership and he ought to have been launched on the finish of the season.
Any further, Kvankala and Adam can share the workload within the centre-forward place, eliminating the necessity for Iheanacho to begin once more.
Celtic’s failure already appears just like the membership’s worst addition since Ajeti
The Celtic dud is already wanting just like the membership’s worst signing since paying £5m for Albian Ajeti.
