The 33-year-old has largely been restricted to a place on the bench in recent weeks, despite signing a one-year contract extension only months ago. His only league action across Celtic’s last six matches came with a 30-minute appearance in the 7-1 victory over Hearts.

Speaking on the Scottish Football Social Club, former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart believes Martin O’Neill has settled on Callum McGregor, Mika Baur and Benjamin Nygren as his preferred midfield combination.

Stewart said: “For me, personally, it falls into the same category as Rangers with Derek McInnes. O'Neill and McInnes feel to me like two managers who are loathe to make changes. When they have got a bit of a rhythm and are winning games, it's like, 'we are sticking with that team'.

“For Celtic, when you look at the frontline that was so devastating against Hearts, I know Kasper Hogh came back in at the weekend, so he then doesn't want to change the midfield too much.

“Where he is making changes, it's almost like, 'right, I've made one there, I'm not making anything else'. There are a limited number of changes.

“And midfield in particular, I can understand why there are questions about whether Oxlade-Chamberlain can get more minutes, because [Callum] McGregor, [Mika] Baur and [Benjamin] Nygren have played a lot of games. Clearly that's their main midfield.”

Stewart believes Oxlade-Chamberlain could yet be required to help manage McGregor’s workload as the season progresses. He added: “You get to the point at some stage they are going to have to [rest him], otherwise the load will eventually cause a problem.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain will now be hoping an opportunity arrives to force his way back into O’Neill’s plans and earn more regular minutes.