Kelechi Iheanacho’s place in the Celtic starting XI is in jeopardy following a disappointing performance. Martin O’Neill could bench Iheanacho when Celtic take on Dundee. The Hoops will be looking to get back to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership when they travel from Parkhead to take on Dundee away from home this evening.
Celtic went into the final international break of the 2025/26 campaign off the back of a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Dundee United at Tannadice Park, now they have to play the Tangerines’ rivals.
Time Running Out in Premiership Title Race
Martin O’Neill’s side are third in the Premiership title race, with seven matches left to play. They need to start stringing wins together to be in with a shout of winning the division.
The Northern Irish head coach will need to be brutal with his team selection after the Hoops were beaten far too easily by Dundee United in the last game before the break.
Iheanacho’s Performance Under Scrutiny
One of the players who should be dropped from the starting line-up after their performance against the Tangerines is centre-forward Kelechi Iheanacho.
Celtic’s Nigerian number nine should be on the bench against Dundee after he struggled in the loss at Tanadice Park, failing to successfully provide a threat in front of goal. Iheanacho missed one ‘big chance’ and did not create any chances for his teammates in 57 minutes on the pitch before being withdrawn from the game for Sebastian Tounekti to come on.
The former Manchester City star has now scored two goals from 3.62 xG in six appearances in the Premiership this season for the Scottish giants, with one of those goals coming from the penalty spot.
Celtic may have expected better output from the experienced marksman when they brought him in on a free transfer from Sevilla in September 2025, but multiple hamstring injuries have disrupted his time at Parkhead.
Adamu Could Get His Chance
With a Premiership title on the line, O’Neill must drop the left-footed striker from the starting line-up after his disappointing showing against Dundee United, providing another attacker with a chance to impress.
The Northern Irish manager could drop Iheanacho from the XI by unleashing his own version of Oliver Burke, who only scored four goals in 19 games on loan from RB Leipzig in the second half of the 2018/19 campaign.
In the January transfer window, Celtic swooped to sign versatile attacker Junior Adamu on loan from Freiburg, in a deal that was similar to the one that brought Burke to Parkhead from the Bundesliga seven years ago.
Just as Burke ended his time with the Hoops as a loan flop, the Austria international is on course to return to Germany in the summer as a Celtic flop, having failed to score or provide an assist in four league games so far.
The 24-year-old attacker has only played 134 minutes across four league matches for the Hoops, though, which means that he has not had too many opportunities to showcase his quality in the final third.
Adamu has shown some flashes of quality during his time with the Scottish giants, though, as he scored a stoppage-time equaliser against today’s opponents in the SFA Cup in February.