Match ends, Celtic 0, Livingston 0.
CelticCeltic0LivingstonLivingston0
Celtic allowed Livingston to "impose their style on us", admitted coach Gavin Strachan after his makeshift side were held to a Premiership draw.
The hosts struggled in their second game without 13 players and manager Neil Lennon self-isolating, and remain winless after three outings in 2021.
Josh Mullin hit the crossbar for Livingston as their eight-game winning streak ended.
"They made it really difficult for us," said Strachan.
"Obviously the situation isn't ideal but we still had more than enough that we could display a better performance than we did."
Celtic are 20 points behind leaders Rangers, while Livingston stay fifth after their first dropped points in seven league games.
Celtic retain two games in hand on the Ibrox side, but are now three without victory and this latest blow to their already paper-thin hopes of a 10th successive title was no real surprise.
With Christopher Jullien's positive Covid-19 test following the club's Dubai training trip having decimated Celtic's squad as close contacts self-isolate, the absence of a recognised striker prompted Strachan to deploy midfielder Tom Rogic up front. That lack of cohesion was evident throughout the side.
Nir Bitton's return from suspension to partner Shane Duffy at least gave Celtic an experienced international centre-back pairing. But the defence - so often Celtic's Achilles heel this season - was creaking from the start as Livingston swarmed all over them with a high-intensity, pressing gameplan.
Duffy in particular was suspect, sending passes astray and needlessly inviting pressure.
For all Livingston's impressive play, though, their wayward finishing was the key factor in the end to David Martindale's winning start as head coach.
Defender Jon Guthrie wasn't far away from finding the top corner with a volley from the edge of the area, and Scott Robinson flashed a header wide moments later in Livingston's strong opening.
But it was Celtic who came closest to a first-half breakthrough as Callum McGregor fired inches over the bar and Jeremie Frimpong wriggled free inside the box to force a solid near-post save from Max Stryjek.
Celtic's defensive flaws were again evident after the break as they carelessly gave away possession and Robinson pounced to curl narrowly wide.
Livingston defender Efe Ambrose should have marked his return to his former club with the opener, only to screw a free header horribly off target, and Scott Pittman couldn't convert at the back post.
Livingston looked the likelier in a pulsating finale, yet either side could have nicked it. Mullin thought he'd scored with a close-range strike that Conor Hazard somehow tipped on to the bar.
And young Celtic substitute Armstrong Okoflex was then inches away from connecting with Anthony Ralston's inviting ball across the six-yard box as the game finished goalless.
Man of the match - Josh Mullin
What did we learn?
None of the Celtic fringe players given a chance to impress amid the club's Covid troubles this week have made a compelling case.
This was a largely insipid performance from a team containing more than enough individual talent to secure a much-needed win.
Livingston, meanwhile, will be kicking themselves at failing to achieve the milestone of a first-ever away victory over Celtic. After 13 previous fruitless visits, this was their chance to make history.
They nullified the hosts and had a verve about their play that Celtic couldn't match, but a lack of composure in front of goal was Livingston's downfall.
What did they say?
Celtic coach Gavin Strachan: "Tough afternoon. We expect a bit more from the players and were disappointed with the first-half performance. We had a bit more control in the second half, but wanted more shots at goal.
"With events that have gone on, the players' confidence has probably been affected."
Livingston head coach David Martindale: "I thought we could have got more out of the game but Celtic had chances as well.
"Some of the players are disappointed, so it shows how far we have come as a club."
What's next?
A rematch. Celtic will have their players, and manager Lennon, back from quarantine when the sides meet again in the Premiership, this time at Livingston's Tony Macaroni Stadium, on Wednesday (20:15).
Celtic then have a free weekend while Livingston face St Mirren in the Scottish League Cup final at Hampden on Sunday, January 24 (16:00).
Player of the match
SibbaldCraig Sibbald
with an average of 8.48
Celtic
Avg
- Squad number65Player nameHazardAverage rating
3.43
- Squad number14Player nameTurnbullAverage rating
3.34
- Squad number12Player nameSoroAverage rating
3.12
- Squad number42Player nameMcGregorAverage rating
3.12
- Squad number30Player nameFrimpongAverage rating
3.03
- Squad number93Player nameLaxaltAverage rating
2.94
- Squad number4Player nameDuffyAverage rating
2.90
- Squad number6Player nameBittonAverage rating
2.88
- Squad number52Player nameHendersonAverage rating
2.87
- Squad number18Player nameRogicAverage rating
2.86
- Squad number19Player nameJohnstonAverage rating
2.83
- Squad number56Player nameRalstonAverage rating
2.83
- Squad number48Player nameOkoflexAverage rating
2.75
Livingston
Avg
- Squad number10Player nameSibbaldAverage rating
8.48
- Squad number14Player nameMullinAverage rating
8.48
- Squad number33Player nameLawsonAverage rating
8.44
- Squad number38Player nameHamiltonAverage rating
8.44
- Squad number3Player nameBrownAverage rating
8.43
- Squad number17Player nameRobinsonAverage rating
8.42
- Squad number6Player nameBartleyAverage rating
8.41
- Squad number27Player nameGuthrieAverage rating
8.40
- Squad number11Player nameForrestAverage rating
8.39
- Squad number8Player namePittmanAverage rating
8.39
- Squad number25Player nameEfe AmbroseAverage rating
8.38
- Squad number2Player nameDevlinAverage rating
8.36
- Squad number32Player nameStryjekAverage rating
8.12
Line-ups
Celtic
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 65Hazard
- 56RalstonBooked at 29mins
- 6Bitton
- 4Duffy
- 93Laxalt
- 42McGregor
- 12Soro
- 30Frimpong
- 14Turnbull
- 19JohnstonSubstituted forHendersonat 66'minutes
- 18RogicSubstituted forOkoflexat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Taylor
- 28Connell
- 41Robertson
- 45Doohan
- 48Okoflex
- 52Henderson
- 53Harper
- 57Welsh
- 77Dembele
Livingston
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 32Stryjek
- 2Devlin
- 25Ambrose
- 27Guthrie
- 3Brown
- 33LawsonBooked at 84mins
- 6BartleyBooked at 67mins
- 14Mullin
- 8Pittman
- 10SibbaldSubstituted forForrestat 62'minutes
- 17RobinsonSubstituted forHamiltonat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 1McCrorie
- 5Fitzwater
- 9Emmanuel-Thomas
- 11Forrest
- 12Serrano
- 21McMillan
- 22Tiffoney
- 29Taylor-Sinclair
- 38Hamilton
- Referee:
- John Beaton
Match Stats
Home TeamCelticAway TeamLivingston
- Possession
- Home61%
- Away39%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away1
- Corners
- Home2
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Celtic 0, Livingston 0.
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Shane Duffy (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jack Hamilton (Livingston).
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Diego Laxalt (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jack Hamilton (Livingston).
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Attempt missed. Steve Lawson (Livingston) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a set piece situation.
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Foul by David Turnbull (Celtic).
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Alan Forrest (Livingston) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt missed. Nicky Devlin (Livingston) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Steve Lawson.
Booking
Steve Lawson (Livingston) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Ismaila Soro (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Steve Lawson (Livingston).
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Foul by Ewan Henderson (Celtic).
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Nicky Devlin (Livingston) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Livingston. Conceded by Conor Hazard.
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Attempt saved. Josh Mullin (Livingston) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Scott Pittman with a cross.
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Attempt missed. Nicky Devlin (Livingston) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Celtic. Armstrong Okoflex replaces Tomas Rogic.
Post update
Attempt missed. Efe Ambrose (Livingston) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Josh Mullin with a cross following a set piece situation.
