MARTIN O’NEILL is pondering over his Celtic line-up to face Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup Final against Dunfermline at Hampden this afternoon.
The interim manager is weighing up his options on who should be given the attack-leader duties as the champions bid for a league and Cup double against Neil Lennon’s Fifers.
Daizen Maeda has been first pick in recent weeks before moving back to his preferred role on the left-wing with Kelechi arriving on the scene midway through the second-half.
However, Callum Osmand has now fought his way into the Irishman’s thoughts following his startling display after his 73rd-minute substitutes’ appearance – his first outing since early November – in the breathtaking 3-1 title-sealing triumph over Hearts at Parkhead a week ago.
IT TAKES TWO…Callum Osmand, pursued by Kelechi Iheanacho, races away in joy after scoring the title-clinching third goal in the 3-1 triumph over Hearts at Parkhead a week ago.
The 20-year-old Welshman, signed from Fulham in the summer, had a resounding impact on proceedings as he set up Maeda for the vitally-important second goal in the 87th minute and, of course, rolled in the third deep in stoppage-time to confirm Celtic’s superiority.
Is it any wonder O’Neill is in a bit of a quandary?
He could start with Yang Hyun-jun and Maeda on the flanks and either Iheanacho or Osmand in the middle.
The last time the Nigerian international hitman started a match was at Tannadice on March 22 when the visitors lost 2-0 to Dundee United, coincidentally the only defeat before the Hoops embarked on their seven-game winning sequence that took them all the way to a fifth successive title.
Proving his worth, however, Iheanacho came off the substitutes’ bench to hit the winners against Dundee (2-1), Hibs (2-1) and Motherwell (3-2).
Osmand, though, can point to his previous appearance at Hampden when he came on during the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final in November when he claimed the third killer goal in the 3-1 victory over Danny Rohl’s Ibrox outfit.
HAIL THE HERO…Daizen Maeda takes a bow as Celtic celebrate a fifth successive title.
Maeda, Iheanacho and Osmand are all likely to figure at some stage today and all three were on the pitch at the same time as the championship was clinched last weekend.
O’Neill is a confirmed admirer of the talented trio and hailed Iheanacho’s recent contribution which featured massively in the team’s surge to their fourteenth crown in 15 years.
The 74-year-old gaffer, speaking to the Scottish Sun, said: “Iheanacho has become a cult hero.
“If you can do that over four games, then brilliant.
“Jimmy Johnstone needed eight years!”
All will be revealed an hour or so before kick-off!
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report and best action images from Celtic v Dunfermline this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
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