Pat Nevin states Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain couldn’t cope with Celtic’s frantic clash at Ibrox

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had his first rude awakening as a Celtic player against Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday.

Martin O’Neill named Oxlade-Chamberlain in the starting XI, but with Celtic 2-0 down at the break, the winter signing was hauled off for eventual game-changer Reo Hatate.

Pat Nevin explained that he ‘wasn’t convinced’ by Oxlade-Chamberlain starting before a ball was kicked, and it became a reality.

“I think it was the last thing I said before the start of the game,” said Nevin on BBC Radio Scotland. “I wasn’t convinced that it was the right game to start Oxlade-Chamberlain. To be fair, I think that was pretty much born out.”

The 32-year-old has made several positive cameo appearances of late, but he couldn’t cope with the intensity of the Glasgow derby on this occasion.

• READ MORE: Raging Pat Bonner nails four Celtic stars who were ‘out-fought’ vs Rangers

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Pat Nevin’s fears for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain come true as Celtic make a comeback at Rangers

It’s going to be interesting to see what O’Neill does in these forthcoming matches, especially with another Rangers fixture on the horizon.

Celtic play Aberdeen on Wednesday night for their rearranged Premiership fixture, before their Scottish Cup quarter-final tie at Ibrox at the weekend. 

You suspect that O’Neill won’t start Oxlade-Chamberlain because he just isn’t match-ready, nor are Celtic performing as a team.

Time and time again this season, the Hoops haven’t been able to produce a performance over 90 minutes, and that was without Oxlade-Chamberlain in the building.

So, when you add in Nevin talking about how the experienced midfielder isn’t getting time on the ball to do what he wants, then it’s just another problem that is better served if he is sitting on the bench.

“I think it was the last thing I said before the start of the game,” said Nevin. “I wasn’t convinced that it was the right game to start Oxlade-Chamberlain.

“To be fair, I think that was pretty much born out. Again, it underlines that it’s not because he is a bad player or incapable.

“Knowing what this was going to be like. It’s not what you want to walk into. You are not going to get the ball down. You are not going to get your head up. You are going to get chased. There is going to be madness surrounding you all the time.

“It didn’t surprise me that he had a tough game, and it passed him by. That was maybe the one surprise. I know Hatate hasn’t had a great season so far in comparison to others, but that was the one that surprised me.

“But Martin spots it, changes it and changes it in time.”