| Match Pictures | Matches: 2018 – 2019 | 2018-19 Pictures |
Trivia
- Celtic finally go back top of the table, 2pts clear after Hearts lose BUT Sevco won 7-1 v M'well and are 2pts behind.
- Loan signing Daniel Arzani admits his season is over after confirming he will need surgery on his damaged knee ligament.
- Ntcham signs four year extension to his contract! Excellent news.
- Ajer possibly out for a while with an injury; fractured eye socket injury.
- Blatant barge into the back of Forrest while Menga sticks the head on Christie (but no injuries). Both clearly seen by officials. Not even a free kick awarded.
- Brendan Rodgers thinks Livingston striker Dolly Menga deserved a red card."He was very, very lucky to stay on the pitch"
- Remembrance weekend, minute silence held at Livvie but no flash points thankfully.
- International friendlies week next, no one wanted it!
- Patrick Roberts is set to return to Manchester City in January after struggling to make an impact with Spanish side Girona. Roberts moved to La Liga in the summer on a season-long deal but has made just three starts
Review
Clubs should be told by the SPFL that the windfall they receive from CL participation is a facilities fund only, for maintaining a mandatory grass pitch, and to a good standard.
Instead, they let this horrific cat out the bag years ago, and a number of backward thinking clubs jumped all over it to the point where there is no prospect of winning the qualified majority to overturn it.
Livingston – Organised and worked very hard but kicked feck out of Celtic and were allowed to do so – They are brutal to watch but their methods help get them results – Personally I think they would get football stopped.
Clancy as above let them away with it but when all the Officials miss a head butt which would have had them down to ten men they must just have been having an off day!!!
Celtic not surprisingly after Thursday looked tired – There was no real zip or energy to our play – Forrest got hooked as he was knackered – You can always tell when he does his aeroplane running chasing he is not at full pelt – McGregor first poorish game in a while but again understandable but feck me let's get these corners deep into the box instead of these near post ones that are inevitably cleared by the first man – We had Boyata/Lustig/Ajer,Edouard and latterly Benkovich all with height and all should be capable of getting onto corners into the box – I know they are guilty at times of not attacking the ball but it has to get there in the first place.
We didn't play well but still should have won it – We will have days like these but we will still win the league.
Edit – Just to say the bench had "Anyone but Hendry"/Ralston and Hayes on it which is weak – Morgan was also poorish when he came on – Tried hard and had a few hits but they were powderpuff except one which was easily saveable – I still think he may do us a turn but when we have a fully fit squad I don't see him getting many starts just now.
Teams
Livingston
- 1Kelly
- 31Gallagher
- 26Halkett
- 4Lithgow
- 15Lawless Substituted forRobinsonat 71'minutes
- · 8Pittman
- · 6ByrneBooked at 28mins Substituted forSibbaldat 79'minutes
- · 7JacobsBooked at 90mins
- · 19Burns
- · 33Lawson
- · 45Menga Substituted forvan Schaikat 90+4'minutes
Substitutes
- 10Sibbald
- 11Cadden
- 14Kaja
- 17Robinson
- 21Stewart
- 25van Schaik
- 30Hamilton
Celtic
- 29Bain
- 23Lustig
- 20Boyata
- 35Ajer Substituted forBenkovicat 72'minutes
- 63Tierney
- 49Forrest Substituted for Morganat 62'minutes
- 17Christie
- 18Rogic
- 42McGregor
- 11Sinclair
- 22Edouard
Substitutes
- 4Hendry
- 15Hayes
- 16Morgan
- 27Mulumbu
- 32Benkovic
- 56Ralston
- 65Hazard
Referee:Kevin Clancy
Attendance:9,016
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Forum
MOTM
- Voting Thread
- Result Thread
- Winner –
Stats
Home Team
Livingston
Away Team
Celtic
Possession
Home42%
Away58%
Shots
Home7
Away17
Shots on Target
Home2
Away6
Corners
Home4
Away9
Fouls
Home15
Away4
Articles
Livingston 0-0 Celtic: Hoops held by resolute Livi but go top on goal difference
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/livingston-0-0-celtic-hoops-held-by-resolute-livi-but-go-top-on-goal-difference-1-4827818Alan Pattullo
Published: 14:20
Updated: 14:55 Sunday 11 November 2018
Celtic achieved their ultimate goal of reaching the top of the league. It just wasn’t in the swashbuckling way they might have envisaged. But then a 0-0 draw at Livingston is not to be sniffed at these days.
Celtic went from the high of a performance labelled by manager Brendan Rodgers as their best in Europe under him to coming up short at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
Still, the point is enough to see them usurp Hearts as league leaders on goal difference as they took over top spot for the first time this season.
It’s looking particularly ominous for their rivals since Celtic also have a game in hand.
Perhaps understandably, this display lacked the vigour of the dramatic, draining victory over RB Leipzig in midweek. While they found a way to break down the big-spending German side, Celtic were endlessly frustrated by a gang of gold-shirted desparados otherwise known as Livingston FC.
The free-scoring visitors ran into a gridlock here in the West Lothian new town after five successive league victories where they racked up 21 goals.
Red Bull could be what fuels this Livingston side. Or, more likely, their doggedness is down to such good old-fashioned qualities as physical fitness and a fierce commitment to defending from the front.
Everyone knows their job, from the tireless Dolly Menga in attack to those in a Livi back-line that continues to excel.
They can, sometimes, overstep the line. Menga was very lucky to escape a red card for pushing his head towards Celtic midfielder Ryan Christie after a tussle in the box while the players waited for a throw-in.
This occurred just before the half-hour mark. It’s unlikely even Livingston could have coped with shutting out the champions for over an hour while down to ten men.
Christie, to his credit, did not throw himself to the ground nor did he draw attention to the incident. Referee Kevin Clancy only spoke to the pair.
There was a more serious clash of heads in terms of damage sustained later in the game when Kris Ajer, making his first league start since September, fell to the turf after an aerial challenge with Livingston skipper Craig Halkett. Felip Benkovic replaced him with just over 20 minutes left. The centre-half was later revealed to have suffered a fractured eye socket and could be on the sidelines until next year.
Brendan Rodgers was happy enough with a point at Livingston but has been dealt a further blow on the injury front. Picture: PA
No blame could be attached to Halkett, whose committed performance typifies Livingston and is from where his side seem to draw so much inspiration.
Declan Gallagher, his centre-half colleague, won everything in the air. So accustomed is the defender to leaping to meet objects above his head it’s a wonder there are any lightbulbs left working at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
There was a passage of play in the first-half where Gallagher and Celtic goalkeeper Scott Bain, in for the injured Craig Gordon, enjoyed their own private duel during a series of corners. Gallagher won three headers in quick succession. Bain tipped the first two over and saved the third. Gallagher was equally commanding in the air at the other end.
Liam Kelly, the home goalkeeper, won man of the match. A twisting aerial save towards the end from Tom Rogic helped earn this point for Livingston, who drew 0-0 with Celtic on their first meeting in 2001.
Twenty straight defeats have duly followed. So this was a result to be celebrated against a side making their first visit for over ten years. As Rangers recently found to their cost, it’s a tricky venue.
“This is Livingston”, the sign above the players’ tunnel, does not have the same ring as “This is Anfield”, but the message must be respected all the same.
Despite the away fans vastly outnumbering the home ones, the stadium seems somehow inhospitable. Perhaps this has something to do with the artificial surface or the tight, bowl-like confines.
Noise is amplified while those times when quietness descends are made to seem more profound. The minute’s silence for Armistice day was mostly well observed with just a few forced coughs from one end of the stadium.
The admirable statement released by Celtic on Friday night underlining the club’s own losses in the First World War certainly appeared to have the desired effect.
Kick-off, following this show of respect, took place against a backdrop of cheers. Celtic were looking for a way to the top. Livingston, meanwhile, were striving for a route back into the top six.
A two-goal victory would have secured this. At times yesterday, certainly in the first half, a 2-0 home win didn’t look completely unattainable.
Gary Holt’s side were first to threaten. Mikael Lustig, who was continuing as skipper in the absence of Scott Brown, blocked Halkett’s full-blooded effort.
Kelly’s first taste of action of note was to block a Christie effort after a neat touch from Odsonne Edouard. Scott Pittman then blocked Rogic’s effort from the rebound.
James Forrest was the next player to come close when his shot just cleared the junction of bar and post a minute before half-time.
The winger was replaced by Lewis Morgan 15 minutes into the second half as Rodgers sought to try something different.
The substitute had a near immediate impact as he tested Kelly from distance with an effort that seemed to move in the air.
The goalkeeper watched it all the way, as he did when Rogic signalled danger when shifting the ball on to his left foot on the edge of the box with five minutes left.
It would have surprised no one if the net had bulged shortly afterwards but Kelly, again, intervened.
BBC
By Colin Moffat
BBC Scotland
From the section Scottish Premiership
Highlights: Livingston 0-0 Celtic
Celtic moved top of the Premiership on goal difference as tenacious Livingston frustrated the champions in a goalless draw in West Lothian.
Home goalkeeper Liam Kelly made an impressive save on 85 minutes, pushing away a fierce strike from Tom Rogic.
Kelly also made two good stops to deny Ryan Christie, while James Forrest was narrowly off target with a rising shot.
Livingston defended like lions throughout and held firm in the face of a late surge from Celtic.
The promoted hosts, who have already seen off Rangers and Hibs on their much-maligned artificial surface, nudge up to seventh place after a typically robust display.
Menga deserved red card, says Rodgers
Re-live Celtic's goalless draw at Livingston
Who did you vote man of the match?
In-form Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard did not get a glimpse of goal and the tireless Keaghan Jacobs made a series of last-ditch covering tackles in front of Livingston's well-drilled back three.
Livingston spent most of the game on the back foot but did cause the odd moment of consternation in the Celtic penalty area from Alan Lithgow's long throw-ins – invariably aimed at his defensive partner Declan Gallagher.
Dolly Menga was a real handful for the visitors but the striker can count himself lucky to get away with an aggressive jut of his head in the face of Christie, while back helping out at a corner kick.
Celtic, who had won their past five league matches, rise above Hearts into top spot, having played a game less than the Tynecastle side.
The furious tempo on display in Thursday's Europa League win over RB Leipzig was missing, with influential midfielders Tom Rogic and Callum McGregor kept quiet by Livingston's relentless pressing.
Kelly, who has conceded just seven goals in 12 Premiership outings, got down smartly to keep out a low shot from Christie, with Scott Pittman blocking Rogic's follow-up effort.
There was a good save at his near post to thwart Scott Sinclair and a swift reaction to deal with a deflected strike from Christie in the second half.
However, Kelly's best moment came as Celtic upped the pressure in the closing stages when he was able to push away a powerful Rogic blast that looked destined to finish high in the net.
Heroes all over the pitch for Livingston – analysis
BBC Scotland's Brian McLauchlin
The goalless draw may well have been enough for Celtic to go top of the table for the first time this season but it was done without the swagger Brendan Rodgers' side have shown in previous weeks.
And that was mostly down to the hard work of Gary Holt's troops, who battled from the first whistle to the last.
The home team had heroes all over the pitch. Dolly Menga looked more like a £9m striker than Odsonne Edouard, who had one of his quietest afternoons in a Hoops' shirt.
The back three epitomised what their club is all about with yet another 90 minutes where they put their bodies on the line.
In Keaghan Jacobs they had a midfielder who put in tackles that were fair but firm and ensured there was little room for any creativity in that key area.
Celtic may have been feeling the effects of their European exploits but this was another example that they will not get everything their own way domestically and will need to turn on the style to pick up maximum points.