Kelechi Iheanacho stakes late-season claim as Celtic’s decisive super-sub in title push

Kelechi Iheanacho is quietly redefining his importance at Celtic FC, turning limited minutes into decisive contributions as the Scottish champions intensify their pursuit of another league title.

The Nigerian forward emerged from the bench to inspire a crucial 2-1 victory over Hibernian FC on Sunday, underlining a growing reputation as a game-changer in the closing stages of matches.

At 29, Iheanacho finds himself in a role that many established forwards resist, yet one that is proving invaluable for Celtic’s title ambitions. Despite not being a regular starter, his recent output tells a compelling story.

Across the club’s last five fixtures in all competitions, the former Manchester City FC striker has delivered four goals, consistently tipping the balance in tightly contested encounters.

Interim manager Martin O’Neill has previously pointed to tactical demands as a key factor behind Iheanacho’s restricted starts, highlighting the high-intensity pressing offered by teammate Daizen Maeda.

In contrast, Iheanacho’s strengths lie in his positional intelligence and composure, qualities that become particularly effective against fatigued defenses late in games.

Rather than view the situation as a limitation, former Celtic midfielder John Collins believes the Nigerian should embrace the opportunity.

The 58-year-old, who made over 200 appearances for the club, sees Iheanacho’s skill set as perfectly suited to decisive late interventions in high-stakes fixtures.

“Iheanacho has a good awareness of what’s round about him,” Collins said.

“He can take the ball in and you can play one-twos off him but what he doesn’t have is legs to start a game.

“So the manager has a decision to make. Do you have him on the bench when games are usually won in the last 20 minutes?

“I think he’ll be a bench player used for the last minutes until the end of the season.

“But there’s every chance he could be a hero at the end of the season.”