Dane Murray’s inclusion in the SPFL Team of the Week has added to a selection question Martin O’Neill must answer ahead of Wednesday night: who makes way when Cameron Carter-Vickers starts again?

A few weeks ago, plenty of supporters would have answered Murray without much hesitation. After five consecutive starts, that decision deserves considerably more thought.

Murray divides opinion among the Celtic support. Some believe they have seen enough to decide he falls short of the required standard. Others have been waiting to see what he can do with a proper run in the side.

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We are finally getting a better opportunity to judge him.

There have been mistakes. Giving away an early penalty against Benfica handed Celtic a problem they could have done without, and nobody should pretend otherwise.

But his response matters too. Murray recovered from that setback and followed it with an impressive performance against Hearts, while also impressing on Sunday against Hibs, so much so that he earned a spot in the SPFL Team of the Week. There has been enough encouragement in recent weeks to question whether immediately returning him to the bench would be the right call.

🌟 Euan Henderson 🌟

@PartickThistle’s hat-trick hero is our Star Man! 🎩

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— SPFL (@spfl) October 27, 2026

It is also worth remembering how unusual his route into the Celtic team has been.

Murray was only 18 when he came off the bench against Midtjylland in a crucial Champions League qualifier. Eight days later, he played the full 120 minutes in Denmark as Celtic went out.

His next first-team appearance came three-and-a-half years later, away to Aston Villa in the Champions League.

Those are demanding occasions on which to learn your trade, particularly with no Celtic first-team football in between.

Injuries were a major part of that interrupted development. His loan at Queen’s Park gave him valuable senior experience, but establishing yourself in Celtic’s defence brings a different level of scrutiny.

At 23, Murray cannot be discussed as a teenager taking his first steps. Equally, his age does not tell the full story of his experience.

That context should inform how we judge him. It cannot excuse every mistake, but it should make us wary of deciding his ceiling before he has had a sustained opportunity.

Carter-Vickers’ return from the bench against Hibs gives O’Neill another established option for Dundee United’s visit. If the American is ready to start, the assumption will be that Murray drops out and Liam Scales stays in.

But why should that be automatic?

Scales’ experience and the balance he provides on the left are legitimate considerations. O’Neill has to select a partnership, and those details matter.

Even so, Murray’s performances should carry weight in that discussion. If there is competition for places, it has to apply to both defenders.

There is still plenty for Murray to prove. The next step is showing that his better performances can become the standard, particularly when opponents press Celtic and force quick decisions.

He needs to keep improving his judgement over when to challenge, when to hold his position and when to keep possession simple. A place in a weekly XI does not settle those questions.

What it does provide is recognition that he is contributing now.

For me, Murray has earned another start on Wednesday. If Carter-Vickers is ready to come back into the team, O’Neill should give serious consideration to playing them together – something Murray has never done from the start before.

We often ask Celtic to give academy players a proper chance. Murray is beginning to show what he can do with one. His place should now depend on his performances, rather than the availability of someone else.