Celtic fans discuss best position for Daizen Maeda in Rangers clash

Daizen Maeda has rediscovered top form at exactly the right time for Celtic.

After a frustrating campaign, last season’s PFA Player of the Year is finally beginning to resemble the player supporters know so well, having now scored in three consecutive matches. But ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Rangers F.C., the big question remains — should Martin O’Neill move Maeda back out to the left wing?

The final Glasgow derby of the season could prove decisive in the dramatic three-way Scottish Premiership title race. Given Maeda’s history of causing problems for Rangers captain James Tavernier, there is a growing argument that O’Neill should once again unleash the Japanese forward down that flank.

Many Celtic fans, however, would rather see Maeda continue through the middle.

If O’Neill opts to deploy him on the left, it could open the door for Kelechi Iheanacho to start centrally. But supporters are not fully convinced by that option. Writing on TalkingPoints, Martin Crawford argued that Celtic “don’t have the striker options to facilitate it,” pointing to concerns over Iheanacho’s ability to last the full 90 minutes and the lack of natural alternatives available from the bench.

Other fans were equally firm in their views. User Twa-Dugs insisted that “even on a bad day” Maeda has to start, while Scorc3529 suggested Tavernier may not even feature from the opening whistle.

Meanwhile, George O’Neill proposed a tactical compromise that could suit everyone — Maeda beginning the match as the central striker before shifting to the left later in the game, a move that would allow Celtic to target tired legs and potentially exploit weaknesses in the Rangers defence.