How do Celtic adapt to life without Maeda? 3 solutions for title chasers with Daizen missing in action

The measuring stick the merit of any player is how much he is missed when he isn't playing.

And the collective groans from Celtic fans in unison over Friday's setback is sure-fire indicator the prospect of being without Daizen Maeda for the rest of the season is a major problem. The battery-powered winger never stops running and any gaps in his game are mitigated by a work-rate without compare. The Celtic star causes James Tavernier fits every time he faces Rangers and the champions' excellent record in the fixture can be traced back to his arrival.

Maeda is among the first names on Brendan Rodgers' teamsheet for the biggest games and the final eight of the season, Hoops fans hope that's the magic number, are jam-packed with season-defining contests which are made for the running man from Osaka. His hamstring injury appears significant and no guarantees have been made over when he will return. But what should Celtic do? Record Sport runs over some of the leading options to mitigate the absence of a player who will be hard to replace.

A player pulls up and another returns to prominence – a football narrative as old as time. But there's a wee problem, you see, as Maeda and Luis Palma are the very definition of different players. The Japan international's merits have been rightly heralded but Palma, a man who relies solely on his right peg, is a throwback to the type of wide man who made his corn back in the days of 4-4-2. But the Honduran appears the logical fit to return to the left wing. The former Aris man has, at times, impressed but consistency will be key after beating the injury blues.

The South Korean's up and down season was summed up during his ill-fated cameo at Ibrox. The lows are extremely low for a player