Celtic manager Martin O’Neill faces a massive decision ahead of Sunday afternoon’s crucial Scottish Premiership showdown against Rangers at Parkhead. The Hoops are desperate for a positive response following a difficult week that featured a 3-0 League Cup quarter-final defeat to their fierce rivals at Ibrox and a subsequent 3-1 loss to Ferencvaros in the Europa League.

​To turn things around and avoid a third straight defeat, tactical adjustments are necessary. One primary solution involves reshaping the midfield. After conceding six goals across their last two outings, switching to a 4-3-3 formation could provide much-needed stability. Bringing in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain alongside Mika Baur and Callum McGregor would offer greater defensive resilience and control, building on the former England international’s impressive early-season performances against Falkirk and Aberdeen.

​Adopting this compact 4-3-3 shape means O’Neill must rethink his forward line. Without a natural number ten behind the striker, the manager needs a mobile centre-forward capable of stretching the opposition defense with energetic runs. Consequently, summer signing Kasper Hogh should be dropped to the bench.

​The £11m arrival from Bodo/Glimt has struggled to justify his hefty price tag since moving to Glasgow. Although he boasts clever penalty box movement, his limitations in mobility, strength, and technical execution become glaringly obvious against high-level opponents and aggressive defenders. During Thursday’s defeat to Ferencvaros, Hogh failed to register a single shot on goal, lost all five of his ground duels, and committed four fouls in just 45 minutes of play.

​While the Denmark international scored a hat-trick against Kilmarnock earlier in the campaign, he has now gone six matches without finding the back of the net. Having accumulated three goals in eight appearances, Hogh has effectively cost the club roughly £3.6m to £3.7m per goal. Furthermore, his overall struggles in domestic play are highlighted by a poor 67% ground duel success rate in the Premiership.

​Comparisons with Rangers’ attacking options further underline Hogh’s current struggles. Across town, rival strikers have delivered stronger returns this season. Gers forward Kevin Kelsy outperformed Hogh during the recent League Cup clash by contributing a goal and an assist. In addition, deadline-day signing Kelsy has already recorded more assists than Hogh has managed all season, while teammates Ryan Naderi and Lawrence Shankland have consistently outperformed the Celtic forward in total goal contributions.

​Based on current form, Hogh lacks the necessary dynamism to lead the line effectively in a high-intensity derby match. Instead, O’Neill should place his trust in Camilo Duran, a more athletic and willing runner who can offer the pressing and movement required to trouble the Rangers defense. Leaving Hogh among the substitutes gives Celtic a powerful option to introduce later in the match if they need a spark from the bench.