Celtic fans give their verdict on whether Daizen Maeda should play on the left against Rangers

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Daizen Maeda has been unstoppable of late for Celtic.

Finally, after a season of trouble, Celtic’s PFA Player of the Year from the previous campaign is starting to showcase that old form, including scoring for three games in a row.

But should Martin O’Neill shift Maeda to the left against Rangers this Sunday? The final Glasgow derby of the season will have a huge bearing on this titanic three-way title race in Scotland.

67 Hail Hail, put that question to our TalkingPoints users after Hearts beat Rangers on Bank Holiday Monday.

In the aftermath of that clash at Tynecastle, Chris Sutton absolutely tore into James Tavernier.

Given Maeda’s well-documented history of terrorising the Rangers captain, it begs the question: should O’Neill exploit the right-back’s lingering fears once again?

• READ MORE: Chris Sutton reminds John Robertson about Iheanacho after Celtic, Hearts and Rangers striker talk

Would you start Daizen Maeda on the left against Rangers?

Tavernier had a torrid time against Hearts

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Celtic fans want Daizen Maeda to remain down the middle against Rangers

If O’Neill wanted to start Maeda on the left flank, then he does have super sub in Kelechi Iheanacho to play as the main striker.

But as Martin Crawford stated on our TalkingPoints platform, ‘we don’t have the striker options to facilitate it.’

That’s from the perspective of Iheanacho not being able to play 90 minutes, and also no striker options on the bench if the Nigeria international started.

But another one of our users, Twa-Dugs, stated that ‘even on a bad day’, Maeda would play, while Scorc3529 claimed that Tavernier might not even start.

Adding to the intrigue, George O’Neill mapped out a scenario where Maeda starts straight down the middle, before ruthlessly shifting out to the left flank, a tactical manoeuvre that feels highly likely to unfold.

• Martin.Crawford: ‘Sadly, we don’t have the striker options to facilitate it.’
• Twa-Dugs: ‘Never be out of my team, even on a bad day, he is better than most!’
• Callum.Boyle65: ‘He’s undroppable at the moment, especially in this form.’
• Scorc3529: ‘No. Rommens is back fit, and they will move Sterling to RB. Captain Disappointed will be benched.’
• MichaelClark04072002: ‘I would play Maeda every day of the week against Rangers because he puts James Tavernier in his back pocket every time.’
• rvybw9z4yf: ‘Maeda causes his markers endless trouble & upsets cbs & puts them off their game.’
• GeorgeOneill: ‘No, I’d follow what he does now. Start as CF, then later in the match play him LW and bring on Iheanacho from the bench.’
• rvybw9z4yf: ‘No, the last couple of games he has been very effective starting in the middle, why change?’
• Fenian.Pinguin: ‘Daizen must go against captain loser one last time just to give Tavpen an eternal nightmare.hh.’