There was plenty to dissect after Celtic’s defeat to Benfica, with players such as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain staking their claim for a start against Hearts this Sunday.

There is plenty more in our latest Celtic news and transfers coverage.

Wouter Vrancken’s side were in Conference League action on Thursday night where they had to settle for a draw after conceding late on.

They will have their own decisions to balance as they return to the Thursday/Sunday schedule, as do the Hoops.

Oxlade-Chamberlain made his first appearance since the League Cup defeat at Ibrox, where he came on after the damage had already been done.

His control and composure could be key in keeping Hearts at bay to prevent them from overrunning Celtic in midfield. Oliver Sørensen was trusted from the start in Europe once again, yet failed to stamp any sort of authority in the middle of the park.

If Oxlade-Chamberlain is to start, one of Baur, McGregor or Nygren would likely drop out. Nygren was benched in Lisbon, perhaps to save his energy for Sunday, but he did come on at the same time as Oxlade-Chamberlain.

This Celtic side has lacked control in the middle too often this season. Oxlade-Chamberlain’s last three starts against Aberdeen, Falkirk and Dundee United saw him bring control and a balance to the midfield.

While the 33-year-old may not be able to start on a consistent basis across a packed schedule, he offers a different dynamic which could be extremely useful from the first whistle against Hearts.

O’Neill has more decisions to make. Camilo Duran made a strong case to be starting striker as opposed to off the right, while Hassan and Osmand were bright sparks on each wing on Thursday.

As Callum McGregor said, the league is Celtic’s bread and butter. Returning to winning ways is non-negotiable if they want to retain their place at the top of the league.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain showed what he can bring when called upon – that’s why he deserves a crack from the get-go this weekend.