O'Neill hails Celtic star and hopes teammates can follow his lead

The Nigerian striker once again climbed off the bench to have a big impact, scoring the winner against ten-man Hibs who had dug deep to that point.

It was far from the first time the 29-year-old has done it, scoring a late winner against Dundee and then a double in the semi-final rout of St Mirren.

Asked if he hopes his calmness under pressure can catch on, O'Neill said: “Absolutely, yes. We had to win, it was as simple as that. We had to find a way to win it, and in the end, it came from the bench.

“It took about five minutes for the ball to go down to him, but he put it in. He was terrific, absolutely terrific.

“He’s been doing that for the last few weeks—starting with Dundee and then changing the game in extra time during the semi-final. He’s continued that form.

“Given the injuries he’s had this season—he was injured when I first arrived, then Wilfred (Nancy) put him in and he got injured again in the League Cup final—he hasn't played a lot of football.

“He’s been a super impact player. I’m sure he’s desperate to start, but with how Daizen has started at centre-forward and his ability to shift positions, our current approach is working.

“There is always a danger of not giving him enough time to get into the game, but so far, it’s working out for us.”

Having signed a one-year deal last summer, Iheanacho will soon be out of contract.

Quizzed about his future, O'Neill added: “That’s a conversation for another day. Right now, his fitness is the most important thing, and he has to keep proving that he’s fit on the field.

“What he’s done for us has been terrific, especially recently. The club will weigh up his overall contribution against his injuries over the whole season.

“Although he says he’s very young, time does catch up with players—though I think he’s only 29 or 30. If the club keeps him, he would benefit greatly from a proper three or four-week pre-season.”