For 45 frustrating minutes the Celtic striker toiled away with precious little service, battling Dundee United's defence while confidence continued to desert him. Then, moments after he was hauled off at half-time, the game changed completely.

On came genuine wide men Jota and Haissem Hassan. Suddenly crosses were flying into the box. Dangerous deliveries flashed across goal. The type of service every penalty-box striker dreams about had finally arrived.

The only problem? Hogh was sitting on the bench watching it all unfold. If the Celtic striker has felt like a ghost in recent weeks, Wednesday night was the ultimate disappearing act. Just as the supply line opened up, he had vanished from the scene.

It is why Celtic hero Chris Sutton believes the Danish frontman is being failed by those around him. Hogh's form has undoubtedly been poor. Three goals since August tells its own story. But Sutton's argument is that constantly changing the conditions around the striker, then removing him before those conditions improve, helps nobody.

"Playing Kasper Hogh and hooking him off after 45 minutes isn't helping him and isn't helping Celtic and isn't helping Camilo Duran," the former Parkhead hitman posted on X.

It was a verdict difficult to argue against.

Hogh was hardly brilliant against United, but neither was he anonymous. He laid on the opening goal for Duran and produced a clever touch to release Benjamin Nygren in one of Celtic's more dangerous moments. As always, the effort was there. The running was there. The end product wasn't.

Yet when Martin O'Neill looked to alter the game at the break, it was Hogh who became the fall guy.

The contradiction deepened because Duran, who had been operating from a makeshift wide role, was pushed into the central striker's position after the introduction of Jota and Hassan. Callum Osmand was also withdrawn as Celtic finally brought specialist wingers into the contest.

Immediately the champions looked more dangerous.

Cross after cross was delivered into areas where a natural No.9 thrives. They were exactly the type of deliveries that persuaded O'Neill to back Hogh to score 20 goals this season only weeks ago.

The Irishman could see the contradiction himself.

Asked whether Hogh would feel unfortunate that Celtic's best deliveries arrived only after he had departed, O'Neill admitted: "That's probably very true."

The manager also made clear he felt the striker had made a positive contribution.

"He played a part. I thought he worked exceptionally hard for us again. One or two things that he tried maybe didn't come off, but overall he's made the goal. That will give him a boost of confidence.

"We put on two wide players and then I'm sure he probably was frustrated that he's sitting and not playing a part in the second half."

Frustrated is probably an understatement.

For a striker desperately searching for confidence, being hooked after 45 minutes was another damaging setback. And while Hogh must shoulder responsibility for his own form, the sight of chance after chance finally arriving in his absence felt like the cruellest twist of all.