Kelechi Iheanacho is resolutely focused on maintaining his fitness and propelling Celtic to the Scottish Premiership title during the crucial final weeks of the season. The Nigerian international, who joined Celtic on a free transfer at the end of last summer's window, has been hampered by persistent injury issues throughout the campaign.
A Pivotal Moment at Dens Park
However, the 29-year-old striker made a decisive impact yesterday, coming off the bench to score a late winner in Celtic's 2-1 victory over Dundee at Dens Park. This result was instrumental for Martin O'Neill's side, keeping their title aspirations alive as they narrowed the gap to league leaders Hearts to just three points, with six matches remaining.
Iheanacho's tidy finish not only secured three vital points but also bolstered his confidence in contributing significantly during the title run-in for the reigning champions. "It felt good to get the win for the team," he stated. "Collectively, we really worked hard, in the first half especially, to get the win. So it feels good. Hopefully there are many more points to come."
Overcoming Injury Setbacks
Reflecting on his challenging season, Iheanacho acknowledged the difficulties of being sidelined. "When you're injured as a player, it's obviously really difficult. Sometimes you could put your head down and all that. Obviously, you still support your team, but it's really sad sometimes not getting on the pitch, contributing to the club that signed you."
He emphasized his commitment to recovery, adding, "But you just need to keep going and work hard to get your rehab done and get ready to come back stronger to help the team. Yeah, I feel like I can do that now. Almost everyone is fit. We've got players coming back as well, so we've got a good squad to achieve that at the end of the season."
Manager's Influence and Team Morale
Celtic boss Martin O'Neill admitted that dropping points at Dundee would have severely hampered their title chances, making Iheanacho's late winner even more critical. The striker also praised O'Neill's management style, which has boosted confidence within the squad. "The manager has been good to everyone at the club. His management is really good, he speaks to everyone really well. Speaking with him gives me so much confidence to play in the game as well. So it's really good."
Iheanacho highlighted the importance of the victory, stating, "It was really massive for the team, where we are in the table, close to the top, so it's massive. It would have been scary to drop points because it would have been hard for the rest of the season. It was a great finish so I'm happy."
Focus on the Title Run-In
With Celtic's performance showing marked improvement, particularly in the first half, Iheanacho stressed the need for consistency. "It's massive. We need to keep winning to get to the end. Obviously, it's not been great for the past few weeks but I think we showed character, discipline and togetherness to win the game. So it's important."
Regarding his future, as his one-year contract expires at the season's end, Iheanacho remained focused on immediate objectives. "I think in terms of that, we're focusing now on the games going forward. Anything that concerns the contract will be maybe after the season, after we achieve our goals."
He reiterated his readiness to start games, saying, "Yeah, I'm sure I'm fit to start games. Obviously it's up to the manager to pick who he wants to start the games. But I'm really sure I'm perfectly okay to start games."
As Celtic prepares for the final stretch, Iheanacho's return to form and fitness could prove decisive in their pursuit of the Premiership title, with the team aiming to build on this hard-fought victory.
