2021-01-20: Livingston 2-2 Celtic, League

Match Pictures | Matches: 2020 – 2021

Trivia

8.15pm, Wed match, live on Sky Sports TV; possibly the latest kick-off domestically we’ve had in the club’s history
Freezing, started snowing heavily second half. Game was almost off before started due to heavy snow in past day
Second league match v Livingston in 4 days.
Celtic have now just 6 wins in 22 games. This puts Lennon just above ex-Celtic manager John Barnes for Celtic results in final 22 days runs. Now gone four league games without a win for the first time in TWENTY years.
Most of the squad back after Covid isolation after the Dubai trip.
Rumours prior to match is that this is Lennon’s last match in charge of Celtic.
Celtic drew the last game which was played by a reserve Celtic side as so many were out due to Covid isolation.
Scott Brown sent off after just a few mins, his own fault.
Bitton Scores his first goal in 4 years. Unlucky not to get a second.
More dropped points, and knives out again for manager/board etc.
Celtic View has been stopped temporarily due to Covid related issues hampering production.
Eddie & Ntcam out due to Covid
Reports: Rumoured interest from Real Madrid in Odsonne Edouard has re-surfaced after initial reports in Spain last May. According to the latest, Zinedine Zidane has ‘recommended’ his fellow countryman to senior figures at the Bernabeu
Report: Vakoun Bayo has attracted the attention of Grenoble after scoring and assisting the second in a 2-0 win for his present Ligue 2 side Toulouse.
US President Joe Biden sworn in to role. Singer Jlo sings Celtic fan favourite “This Land is Your Land”.
“Celtic FC” themed characters added to international multi-player fighting game Fortnite! Same for many other clubs.
Ryan Christie has scored just 3 goals in 60 attempts in the Scottish Premiership this season. A conversion rate of 5%. The lowest of any Celtic player.

Covid:
- Restrictions increasing everywhere. Rates still high in Europe.
- Another Celtic player confirmed to have got Covid from the Dubai camp trip.
- Lennon has a very aggressive rant at critics of the Dubai trip on media conference after some questions. He comes over badly to many. If you listen to the entire thing, he isn’t so bad, but maybe should have been avoided.
- Herald has a very ugly front page showing Lennon as being in a rage fit, which is taken very poorly by all, and helps no one. Seems that proves Lennon’s point on partisan reporting

Summary

“All we can do is try to keep winning. We’ll see. We don’t look at the league table. We just take one game at a time and see where it takes us.”

Callum McGregor

“People will say it’s over, I can understand that, but we’ll keep going,” Lennon told BBC Scotland. The club isn’t a shambles, far from it. And it’s not in crisis off the field. The board have been magnificent; they’ve presided over nine titles in a row and a quadruple treble.I think people need to take a step back and put some perspective on it.”

Neil Lennon

(JBC of TheCelticWiki)

Congrats to Livvie – two excellent results for them in a row. 10 in-a-row unbeaten for David Martindale’s Livingston, and put out a funny 10iar tweet to celebrate this.

As for Celtic, it’s no longer a surprise anymore.

(OKIBU rom KDS)

I suppose the positives were Moi’s finish and McGregor’s ball to Bitton who was offside so we got lucky with a decision.

Otherwise, an absolute shambles. Duffy should be jettisoned, genuinely horrific performance every single time. Passes the ball out of play and is on his eff arse more than on his feet.

Subs atrocious and all to rigidly stick to the new ‘it works’ diamond formation. Brown should’ve never have been a sub on the park when chasing a goal. Horrendous.

(SB of KDS)

Took off the 3 best players

Brought on an aging defensive midfield player and two ball players when the pitch was covered in snow.

Sat in the dugout for last 10 when we were up against it.

Surely that is it, for him and Broony.

Teams

Celtic

Formation 4-3-1-2

1Barkas

35Ajer6Bitton4Duffy3Taylor

17Christie12Soro14Turnbull

42McGregor

9Griffiths27Elyounoussi

1Barkas

35Ajer Substituted forFrimpongat 78’minutes

6Bitton

4Duffy

3Taylor

17Christie

12Soro Substituted forBrownat 78’minutes; red at 83mins,

14Turnbull

Substituted forJohnstonat 82’minutes

42McGregor

9Griffiths Substituted forKlimalaat 70’minutes

27Elyounoussi

Substitutes

8Brown

10Ajeti

11Klimala

18Rogic

19Johnston

29Bain

30Frimpong

57Welsh

93Laxalt

Goals: Elyounoussi (28′ minutes), Bitton (38′ minutes),

Assists: Griffiths (28′ minutes), McGregor (38′ minutes)

Livingston

Formation 3-4-2-1

1McCrorie

5Fitzwater27Guthrie3Brown

21McMillan33Lawson8Pittman12Serrano

9Emmanuel-Thomas11Forrest

38Hamilton

1McCrorie

5Fitzwater

27Guthrie

3Brown

21McMillan Substituted forRobinsonat 75’minutes

33Lawson

8Pittman

12Serrano

9Emmanuel-Thomas Substituted forDevlinat 66’minutes

11Forrest Substituted forKabiaat 58’minutes

38Hamilton Substituted forReillyat 58’minutes

Substitutes

2Devlin

10Sibbald

14Mullin

17Robinson

20Reilly

29Taylor-Sinclair

37Kabia

39Pignatiello

40Maley

Goals:Brown (15′ minutes), Emmanuel-Thomas (60′ minutes)

Assists: Serrano (15′ minutes), Brown (60′ minutes)

Referee: William Collum

Att: none

Articles

Match Report (see below)

Pictures

Match Pictures

Match Links

Stats

Livingston

Celtic

Possession

Home31%

Away69%

Shots

Home6

Away18

Shots on Target

Home2

Away6

Corners

Home4

Away7

Fouls

Home10

Away10

Articles

Andrew Smith’s Celtic verdict: The bow must surely break for Neil Lennon – this cannot go on

Celtic, and Neil Lennon, cannot go on like this. It has been said before during this cataclysmic season, many times, but Wednesday night’s draw at Livingston must surely mean the bow will break. It almost feels inhumane for the Celtic board to allow Lennon to continue to be put through such agonies.

By Andrew Smith

Wednesday, 20th January 2021, 10:29 pm

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/andrew-smiths-celtic-verdict-bow-must-surely-break-neil-lennon-cannot-go-3107586

On the back of his verbally-taking-bodies, defiant-over-Dubai rant of a press conference, the Celtic manager couldn’t afford his side not to take full points from the Tony Macaroni Stadium. But, for a fourth consecutive game, that is exactly what they did. In typically ignominious fashion. And in a season when the ignominies have cascaded down, the latest is that the club are now on their longest league run without a victory since 2000. The only ten-in-a-row they might achieve from this game is ten Premiership games in which they have come up short.

The tin lid on an abject evening in the snow proved a 83rd-minute red card for Scott Brown for an elbow on Jaze Kabia, which came only five minutes after the captain had been brought on.

Celtic: Get the latest team news, match previews and reports

It followed Celtic squandering a half-time lead – hard earned after going a goal down – and a raft of early second half chances as it looked as if there would be only one winner.

Yet, a result that leaves them 20 points behind Rangers with now only two games in hand, they were condemned to by the standard failings.

There was much intrigue as to how Lennon would configure his side with all but the club’s unnamed player who had followed Christopher Jullien in testing positive for Covid-19 subsequent to the chaos-creating Dubai trip that forced the Irishman, his assistant John Kennedy and 13 players to isolate for ten days.

All the club’s mainstays returned to a much-changed side, except for Odsonne Edouard. His absence meant Mohamed Elyounoussi partnered Leigh Griffiths.

If that was unusual, Celtic’s mode of suffering an on-field setback was not. Livingston manager David Martindale had indicated exactly where his priorities lay in resting seven players from the weekend draw at Celtic Park ahead of Sunday’s League Cup semi-final. Yet, still Celtic allowed them to prosper in a very Livi fashion with a free-kick hoisted from deep seeing Ciaron Brown slip the attentions of Kristoffer Ajer to launch a header past Vasilis Barkas.

Yet, it was then the first half deviated from the sort Celtic have endured too often in this troubled season. For a start they did not start to feel sorry for themselves. For another, they bagged two goals from set-pieces situations.

Celtic were robbed of six attackers by the Covid contacts and the importance of such players was demonstrated when Elyounoussi produced a glorious side-foot volley from a crisp Leigh Griffiths corner for a 29th minute equaliser.

They then took a 38th-minute lead when a move that followed a David Turnbull corner being cleared led to Callum McGregor sliding in Nir Bitton – in a marginally offside position – to tuck away his first goal for the club in four years.

Livingston’s 58th minute equaliser, out of nowhere, came when Brown was not closed down by Ryan Christie in the right channel. He was able to fire in a low cross that was met by Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, who steamed in to get ahead of Greg Taylor and knock in from six yards as Celtic’s whiteout of a season went on.

Livingston: Kelly; Fitzwater, Guthrie, Brown; McMillan (Robinson 76), Lawson, Pittman, Serrano; Emmanuel-Thomas (Devlin 66), Forrest (Kabia 58); Hamilton (Reilly 58).

Celtic: Barkas; Ajer (Frimpong 79), Bitton, Duffy, Taylor; Soro (Brown 79); Christie, Turnbull (Johnston 82), McGregor; Griffiths (Klimala 70), Elyounoussi.

Neil Lennon: Celtic manager rails against ‘barrage of hypocrisy’ over Dubai trip

By Kheredine IdessaneBBC Scotland

BBC

Last updated on

2 hours ago2 hours ago.From the section Celtic

We did the right things – Lennon

Neil Lennon has railed against a “barrage of absolute hypocrisy” following Celtic’s trip to Dubai.

Manager Lennon and 13 players missed two games after a positive Covid-19 test and now a further player has returned a positive test.

Celtic drew both of their matches while depleted and are 21 points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Rangers.

“We’ve been held to a far higher standard than any other club,” Lennon said.

“Protocols at different clubs are inconsistent. As soon as Celtic are deemed to do something wrong, bang, you’re all wanting blood, it’s absolutely scandalous. The fallout from this has been way too much.

“Aston Villa have shut down, Raith Rovers. They haven’t travelled anywhere. We could easily have stayed here and had an outbreak, but because our protocols are so good, we’ve been able to quell that.”

What now for Celtic and Lennon?

Chief executive Peter Lawwell last week apologised to supporters and said the trip was a “mistake”, but Lennon says the apology should have come from him.

“My apology is to the fans because 13 players and three staff had to isolate for 10 days, which is ludicrous,” said Lennon, who will return to the dugout when Celtic face hosts Livingston on Wednesday.

“I’m not apologising for anything else. I’m not apologising for going out there and training for a week. Hindsight’s a wonderful thing. We did everything we possibly could to avoid the damage.

“The whole squad is negative bar two players. I think that is remarkable and I think it totally blows out of the water the way the training camp has been portrayed by certain quarters of the media, by certain pundits and by certain government officials as well.

“We did not abuse any privilege, we did the right things. We were absolutely totally professional. We had a little drink in the afternoon on a day off, completely allowed, no law breaking – yet we come back to this barrage of absolute hypocrisy.

“We’ve come back, we’ve been absolutely decimated by these rules. It seems political.”

After Wednesday’s match, defending champions Celtic will still have two league games in hand.

Neil Lennon speaks in full: Celtic backlash, Andy Walker, Nicola Sturgeon, dancing to Baccara and John Hartson comments

Neil Lennon came out swinging on all matters related to the Dubai debacle for Celtic, and a whole more lot, on his return to the club following ten days in isolation.

By Andrew Smith

Tuesday, 19th January 2021, 7:00 am

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/neil-lennon-speaks-full-celtic-backlash-andy-walker-nicola-sturgeon-dancing-baccara-and-john-hartson-comments-3104857

The Celtic manager clearly had plenty he wanted to get off his chest over the furore and fall-out following the trip, which resulted in Lennon, his assistant John Kennedy and 13 first-team players missing the club’s draws with Hibs and Livingston in the past week. In full, he had this to say:

On the ‘backlash’ and Andy Walker describing the camp as a “jolly”

Celtic: Get the latest team news, match previews and reports

“First of all, it shouldn’t have been Peter [Lawwell, chief executive] out apologising. It should have been me because it was my decision. We made it with the best intentions for the players and the club for the second half of the season. Unfortunately, we picked up one infection out of a group of 60. It did show that our protocols are all in place and working.

“I feel we have been harshly treated in terms of the amount of people that have had to isolate and the time they had to isolate as well. We’ve picked up one more positive case. So that makes two out of the whole party. So there was no outbreak. There was no misbehaviour. We were very professional in how we went about our business. The preparation was top-class. We prepared as if we were going away on a European trip. The innuendo and the insinuation from Andy Walker that it was a ‘jolly’ – I can’t have that. I can’t tolerate that at all. That calls into question my professionalism, the professionalism of my players, my staff, the people who were out there helping us. It’s an absolute scandal. The fact that 80 per cent of my squad were probably tee-total … it’s a total distortion of the facts. And for him to go on a public platform and accuse the club of being arrogant, demanding an apology from the club, which we’ve done. Even then, it wasn’t good enough for him. I want an apology from him. You cannot go and falsify what went on with a total misrepresentation of reality.”

On the Scottish government deciding the close contacts and how it means every Scottish top flight club is failing to meet guidelines

“On the plane it was the guys that were closest. So all of a sudden it was two rows back, two rows forward, two rows to the side. We were under the impression that with business class seats the distance from two seats back was pretty safe. And some lads had to isolate because they were on buses with Christopher.

“This is where I’m confused. Because all clubs in Scotland have been travelling up and down the country in two buses. With these guidelines now that we are having to adhere to it means that only three players can travel on a 52-seater bus. So when we played Hibs last Monday we had to bus six players on two 52-seater buses. So that would mean every club in the country with a say of, you know, 30 people, would have to take 10 buses. So, for me, the goalposts are completely moved. And in terms of physical distancing we have been in dressing rooms throughout the country – Hamilton on Boxing Day, St Johnstone – where there is no physical distancing. There is no room, we are cramped up, 15-20 people in the one room.

Christopher Jullien arrives back to Glasgow Airport with the rest of the Celtic squad following the trip to Dubai that resulted in a positive Covid-19 test for the Frenchman that set off a calamitous chain of events for the club. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group).

“And now, all of sudden, we adhere to all protocols – having taken photographs, adhered to every rule in place – and we have 13 players, and three staff isolating for 10 days that, apart from one, are all negative. It is absolutely preposterous. The intention for going to Dubai was correct, what was regretful was the outcome of it and the way we have been treated on it. The whole bus thing? Clubs up and down the country are travelling on two buses. Now by the regulations now that can’t be possible.”

On the criticism meted out by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who raised questions over a trip that Lennon had called in one interview ‘r n r’ (shorthand for rest and recreation)

“I’m not going to get into a fight with the First Minister but I’ll take umbrage on her use of the term ‘r n r’, which she selectively picked out of interviews – completely ignoring the hard work we were intending to do, and the intensive training. And also that we abused our so-called privileges when we were out there. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

On the photographs of players in a bar and Lennon and Scott Brown sitting on sun loungers with beers beside them that led to Sturgeon’s ‘abuse of privileges’ stance – and the contrast with no comment made over Scotland players doing the conga and sitting inside drinking in a Serbian hotel following the country’s qualification for the Euros

“We were sitting outside, in our bubble. We may not be exactly two metres apart but we are in our bubble. There was no Chris Jullien in the photographs. All the people in the photographs were negative. And, by the way, it is illegal to take a picture of somebody without their consent in Dubai. And it’s not as if they were doing a conga at three o’clock in the morning in a dining room or dancing to Baccara in a dressing room or traipsing up and down the country with covid in a train from Glasgow to London. My players’ behaviour was exemplary. They are top professionals. The way this has been portrayed has been a total distortion of the facts.

“We are in an area. Some players are in a bar, not all of them drinking. They are maybe not totally distancing, but they are sitting there quietly watching the football for half an hour with masks on. We got treated like common criminals for it. I apologise to Celtic supporters for the fallout, and what has happened. That was never our intention. We went out there with the best of intentions to do a good weeks’ work, come back and really look forward to the second half of the season. We followed the protocols, but it has backfired on us because the goalposts have been moved.”

On SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell confirming their disciplinary department is investigating whether you broke protocols and what that means for Scotland over Serbia celebrations

“As long as they [the SFA] investigate that [party] that’s fine. It is hypocrisy of the highest order. I am feeling aggrieved and my staff and players are feeling aggrieved as well. It is all political.”

On the claim of lower league clubs they have been shutdown as punishment for Celtic’s actions over Dubai

“I have no comment. It’s such nonsense I don’t even have to answer that.”

On further positive Covid-19 case in Celtic squad announced on Monday

“He’s already been isolating and the rest of the squad is negative. It won’t affect the squad at all. No one else is affected.”

On former team-mate John Hartson saying Celtic fans want managerial change with title gap 21 points and hopes of 10-in-a-row over

“John has an opinion, like more people on the periphery of the game. You either take it on board or you don’t. It has no impact on me. It means nothing. When he praising me, it means nothing. When he’s talking about me losing my job or being removed from my job, it means nothing to me. John feels he has a job to do. Yeah, he could have rang me first and had a chat about it. But when you are on the media side – and I’ve been there myself – it’s an easy life.”

On coping with the 10-day isolation period, during which Celtic dropped four points in draws at home to Hibs and Livingston

“Your heart sinks, of course it does, because you can’t do your job for 10 days. We had two very important games against formidable teams and you want to be able to do all you can. We had the Hibs game on the telly. I was constantly on the phone to the dugout. Then it was exactly the same at the weekend against Livingston. It wasn’t easy. You don’t get a real feel for the game and see the whole picture. It was very, very difficult and very frustrating because you can’t do your job properly through no fault of your own. You can see how people get frustrated and a little bit fed up because there is nothing you can do other than try to keep your mode of thinking in the right way.”

On the title race and how ready players returning from isolation will be for trip to Livingston on Wednesday

“We have to win every game. The players are capable of doing it. They played very well at Ibrox and were the better team and then this happens. We just have to galvanise ourselves and go again. The season has been totally disrupted … the players will be fine for Wednesday. They trained really well on Monday and I think they’re really motivated. I think they realise how much training means to them, and being around each other at the club. There was a real vibrancy about training. It was great to see them all back together.”

On the magnitude of Wednesday’s game in West Lothian, where Celtic are without a win in their past three visits

“Davie [Martindale] has done an outstanding job since taking over. They’ve been a real success story, Livingston, over the last four or five seasons. Davie Hopkin, Gary Holt and now Davie – it’s been outstanding recruitment and outstanding results. This run they’re on [of eight wins before Saturday Celtic Park draw] is fantastic so it’ll be very difficult for us on Wednesday. It’s not been a great ground for us but there is extra motivation for us now to obviously try and win.”

Match ends, Livingston 2, Celtic 2.

90’+6′

Full Time

Second Half ends, Livingston 2, Celtic 2.

90’+2′

Post update

Hand ball by Jaze Kabia (Livingston).

90′

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Offside, Celtic. Shane Duffy tries a through ball, but Patryk Klimala is caught offside.

89′

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Attempt missed. Scott Pittman (Livingston) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.

87′

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Corner, Livingston. Conceded by Nir Bitton.

86′

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Corner, Livingston. Conceded by Nir Bitton.

85′

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Offside, Livingston. Jon Guthrie tries a through ball, but Julien Serrano is caught offside.

83′

Dismissal

Scott Brown (Celtic) is shown the red card for violent conduct.

83′

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Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).

83′

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Jaze Kabia (Livingston) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

82′

Substitution

Substitution, Celtic. Michael Johnston replaces David Turnbull.

81′

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Ryan Christie (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

81′

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Foul by Jaze Kabia (Livingston).

79′

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Foul by Greg Taylor (Celtic).

79′

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Jaze Kabia (Livingston) wins a free kick on the right wing.

78′

Substitution

Substitution, Celtic. Scott Brown replaces Ismaila Soro.

78′

Substitution

Substitution, Celtic. Jeremie Frimpong replaces Kristoffer Ajer.

76′

Post update

Attempt missed. Jaze Kabia (Livingston) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.

75′

Substitution

Substitution, Livingston. Scott Robinson replac

73′

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Attempt blocked. Mohamed Elyounoussi (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Greg Taylor.

73′

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Attempt blocked. Greg Taylor (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mohamed Elyounoussi.

71′

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Corner, Livingston. Conceded by Greg Taylor.

70′

Substitution

Substitution, Celtic. Patryk Klimala replaces Leigh Griffiths.

68′

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Offside, Livingston. Julien Serrano tries a through ball, but Jack McMillan is caught offside.

68′

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Corner, Livingston. Conceded by Kristoffer Ajer.

67′

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Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by David Turnbull.

66′

Substitution

Substitution, Livingston. Nicky Devlin replaces Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.

65′

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Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

65′

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Foul by Steve Lawson (Livingston).

63′

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Nir Bitton (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

63′

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Foul by Gavin Reilly (Livingston).

63′

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Attempt saved. Ryan Christie (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Greg Taylor.

61′

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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Jon Guthrie.

61′

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Attempt blocked. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

60′

Goal!

Goal! Livingston 2, Celtic 2. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (Livingston) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ciaron Brown with a cross.

58′

Substitution

Substitution, Livingston. Jaze Kabia replaces Alan Forrest.

58′

Substitution

Substitution, Livingston. Gavin Reilly replaces Jack Hamilton.

56′

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Attempt missed. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high following a set piece situation.

56′

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Kristoffer Ajer (Celtic) wins a free kick on the right wing.

es Jack McMillan because of an injury.

56′

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Foul by Alan Forrest (Livingston).

56′

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Attempt saved. Mohamed Elyounoussi (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Ryan Christie.

53′

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David Turnbull (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

53′

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Foul by Jon Guthrie (Livingston).

50′

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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Jon Guthrie.

48′

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Foul by Shane Duffy (Celtic).

48′

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Jack Hamilton (Livingston) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

48′

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Attempt saved. David Turnbull (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Callum McGregor.

46′

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Offside, Celtic. Leigh Griffiths tries a through ball, but Mohamed Elyounoussi is caught offside.

Second Half

Second Half begins Livingston 1, Celtic 2.

45’+1′

Half Time

First Half ends, Livingston 1, Celtic 2.

45’+1′

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Attempt saved. Kristoffer Ajer (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by David Turnbull with a through ball.

45′

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Foul by Leigh Griffiths (Celtic).

45′

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Jon Guthrie (Livingston) wins a free kick on the left wing.

45′

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Foul by Ryan Christie (Celtic).

45′

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Steve Lawson (Livingston) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

41′

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Foul by Kristoffer Ajer (Celtic).

41′

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Scott Pittman (Livingston) wins a free kick on the left wing.

40′

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Ryan Christie (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

40′

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Foul by Julien Serrano (Livingston).

38′

Goal!

Goal! Livingston 1, Celtic 2. Nir Bitton (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Callum McGregor following a corner.

37′

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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.

34′

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Foul by Mohamed Elyounoussi (Celtic).

34′

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Steve Lawson (Livingston) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

33′

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Mohamed Elyounoussi (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

33′

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Foul by Steve Lawson (Livingston).

31′

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Attempt blocked. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Greg Taylor.

30′

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Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).

30′

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Jack Hamilton (Livingston) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

28′

Goal!

Goal! Livingston 1, Celtic 1. Mohamed Elyounoussi (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Leigh Griffiths with a cross following a corner.

28′

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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Robby McCrorie.

28′

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Attempt blocked. Shane Duffy (Celtic) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is blocked.

28′

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Attempt blocked. Shane Duffy (Celtic) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by David Turnbull with a cross.

27′

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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Ciaron Brown.

27′

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Attempt blocked. Callum McGregor (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

27′

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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Ciaron Brown.

24′

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Foul by Mohamed Elyounoussi (Celtic).

24′

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Jon Guthrie (Livingston) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

23′

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Mohamed Elyounoussi (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

23′

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Foul by Jack McMillan (Livingston).

22′

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Attempt missed. Ismaila Soro (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by David Turnbull.

20′

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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Steve Lawson.

18′

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Attempt missed. Leigh Griffiths (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Mohamed Elyounoussi.

17′

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Attempt missed. Alan Forrest (Livingston) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jack Hamilton with a headed pass.

15′

Goal!

Goal! Livingston 1, Celtic 0. Ciaron Brown (Livingston) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Julien Serrano following a set piece situation.

15′

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Foul by Shane Duffy (Celtic).

15′

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Jack Hamilton (Livingston) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

9′

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Attempt missed. Mohamed Elyounoussi (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by David Turnbull following a set piece situation.

8′

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Nir Bitton (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

8′

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Foul by Scott Pittman (Livingston).

1′

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Attempt missed. Alan Forrest (Livingston) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Julien Serrano.

Kick Off

First Half begins.

Posted at 20:30 20 Jan20:30 20 Jan

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Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

BBC

By Andrew SouthwickBBC Scotland

Last updated on

20 January 202120 January 2021.From the section Scottish Premiership

Highlights: Livingston 2-2 Celtic

Celtic have gone four consecutive league games without a win for the first time in 21 years, after a second draw in five days against Livingston.

Captain Scott Brown was ordered off for lashing out at Jaze Kabia five minutes after coming on, as Neil Lennon’s side now languish 20 points behind leaders Rangers with two games in hand.

Ciaron Brown headed Livingston into the lead, only for Mohamed Elyounoussi and Nir Bitton to turn the game around. But Jay Emmanuel-Thomas levelled after the break to earn the hosts a point.

It means David Martindale remains unbeaten in 10 games as manager with a League Cup semi-final against St Mirren to come on Sunday.

‘No crisis but title may be beyond Celtic’

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Reaction & as it happened

It was always likely to be a different affair than Saturday’s 0-0 draw between the pair, with Livingston making seven changes, Celtic six.

While the hosts’ motivation was keeping players fresh for the semi-final, Celtic were welcoming back those who had been forced to self-isolate following a positive Covid-19 case within the squad.

One side supposedly weaker, the other with strength in numbers. Yet a quarter of an hour gone and Livingston were in front.

So often this season Celtic have struggled at set-pieces. And after Shane Duffy gifted a free-kick, Julien Serrano drifted in a ball towards Brown, who steered his header beyond Vasilis Barkas.

Another error from Duffy led to Alan Forrest driving a shot just wide, but soon Celtic started to come alive. Leigh Griffiths hit the side netting before a series of corners led to the leveller, with Elyounoussi emphatically slamming in a Griffiths delivery.

Celtic’s Achilles heel may be defending set-pieces, but the second goal again arrived from one of their own. David Turnbull’s corner wasn’t properly cleared and a series of passes opened Livingston up before Bitton finished off the move, although he may have strayed just offside.

It could, and perhaps should, have been 3-1 when Kristoffer Ajer burst forward and latched into a through ball, but could not divert the ball past the goalkeeper.

Elyounoussi lobbed over, then forced a save as Celtic continued to foray forward with regularity. But as it began to look comfortable, Livingston hit them on the counter-attack.

Brown robbed Ryan Christie in possession, drove a ball across the box, and Emmanuel-Thomas side-footed in his fourth goal of the season.

As the snow began to fall heavily, the ball wasn’t moving as freely along the surface and Celtic’ frustration was growing.

Brown was introduced from the bench but, after swinging an arm at Kabia, his night ended early. Livingston could even have won it after appealing late on for a penalty after Jack Fitzwater hit the deck following a challenge from Patryk Klimala.

But Celtic’s faint title hopes dimmed even more as they matched an unenviable run set under Kenny Dalglish in 2000.

Man of the match – Mohamed Elyounoussi

Mohamed Elyounoussi

Southampton loanee Mohamed Elyounoussi was at the centre of most of Celtic’s good play

What did we learn?

That Martindale was able to make seven changes yet still get a performance from his side was testament to the spirit and guts his side are displaying at the moment. And it will be another boost before Sunday’s Hampden showdown with St Mirren.

Celtic at times played some good stuff going forward, but they continue to struggled defensively at a venue that has caused them problems on each of their previous three visits.

What did they say?

Martindale hails ‘brilliant’ Livingston side

Livingston manager David Martindale: “I think we were a bit unlucky not to win after Celtic went down to 10 men.

“I thought there was a stonewall penalty in the second half and Celtic’s second goal was offside. I’m seeing it as a positive but just a wee bit frustrated.

“Every single one of the boys came out and stepped up to the plate. It shows collectively that we’re all in this together.”

Celtic manager Neil Lennon: “Scott had a moment of madness and it’s a lot of ill discipline which is unnecessary. I’d need to see it again. I don’t know how much contact he actually made.

“The performance didn’t merit the result. We were as good as we’ve been here for a long time. Bitterly disappointed night not to have won on a difficult pitch on a difficult night.”

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