A SECOND HALF Benjamin Nygren double and a late Johnny Kenny goal ensured that a significantly understrength Celtic side beat Livingston comfortably at Parkhead today and moved seven points clear of their city rivals Rangers in the William Hill Premiership table.
Brendan Rodgers had half an eye on the second leg of the Champions League play-off double header against Kairat in Kazakhstan on Tuesday night rested the majority of his first team.
But the players he selected justified their selection against David Martindale’s men – summer signing Nygren found the target twice half-time and substitute Kenny added another before the final whistle.
The victory maintained Celtic’s winning start to the Premiership and put pressure on Rangers, who take on St Mirren in Paisley tomorrow, to record their first league triumph of the 2025/26 campaign.
Here are five talking points from a straightforward triumph for the Scottish champions.
Plus ca change
Managers can incur the wrath of the football traditionalists among their club’s fanbase when they leave key players out of their starting line-up due to the advice they have received from their sports scientists.
Nobody in the Celtic support, though, was in the slightest bit put out by Rodgers fielding a significantly weakened side against Livingston this afternoon.
The Northern Irishman and his players will board an energy-sapping flight to Kazakhstan tomorrow and it would have been asking too much of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Callum McGregor and Daizen Maeda, who will all start in Almaty if fit, to play 90 minutes today.
He will need to have his mainstays fresh for the crucial encounter with Kairat in the Central Stadium if the visitors are to get the victory they need to reach the lucrative league phase of Europe’s elite club competition.
Anthony Ralston, Dane Murray, Hayato Inamura, Luke McCowan, Paolo Bernardo, Arne Engels, Shin Yamada and Yang Hyun-jun came in as Alistair Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Kieran Tierney, McGregor, Reo Hatate, Maeda, James Forrest and Adam Idah dropped out.
But was making no fewer than eight changes to the team which was held to a goalless draw in midweek a gamble too far? Celtic dominated the opening 45 minutes completely. But they were unable to capitalise on the pressure they enjoyed in the final third and break the deadlock.
Ultimately, though, the home team had too much quality for their spirited visitors and wore down their resolve. Nygren provided the vital cutting edge in attack and another three points were duly accumulated. Job done.
Green Brigade grievances
The Celtic directors got it both barrels from their supporters on Tuesday night as McGregor and his team mates failed to get the better of their opponents. Cries of “Sack the board” filled the night air and the atmosphere became increasingly toxic as the final whistle drew nearer.
There were also chants of “Lawwell, Lawwell, get to f***” and “Michael, Michael, get to f***” – aimed in the direction of chairman Peter and chief executive Nicholson – and fans vented about the failure to bring in a new winger and striker.
With no transfer business being conducted in the days since the protests, it was a certainty that the suits would be targeted once again. Sure enough, midway through the first-half the members of the Green Brigade ultras group unfurled banners making their feelings known. Zero ambition. Neglect team. Rinse fans. World class Basic board.
More new arrivals are imminent. They cannot come quickly enough.
Save of the season
It is still only August and there are countless Premiership matches still to be played in the months ahead. But we already have a contender for the Save of the Season award which may not be beaten.
Everyone inside the ground thought that Yang had given the hosts the lead they longed for in the fourth minute of added-on time. But Jerome Prior somehow got a hand to it and diverted it onto the underside of the crossbar. There were gasps of shock and admiration around the packed arena
Shades of Gordon Banks against Pele in the World Cup in Mexico in 1970? That would be pushing it. Still, it was a helluva save. The Frenchman, a former Bordeaux and Valenciennes player who moved to West Lothian last year, has coped with the step up to the top flight with aplomb. He kept the promoted side in touch with their opponents.
Nygren at the double
That said, could Prior have done better at the Celtic goal? Very possibly. He was unable to hold a Yang attempt and Nygren was perfectly positioned to tap home from close range. He added a second with 20 minutes of regulation time when he rifled a loose ball into the top right corner.
The Swedish internationalist opened his account for the club he joined in a £2m transfer last month against Aberdeen. This brace will do the 24-year-old’s confidence the world of good. It certainly endeared him to the home supporters greatly.
Canny Kenny
Only Kasper Schmeichel, Liam Scales, who donned the captain’s armband until McGregor came on in the second half, Ralston, who deputised for the injured Johnston, and Nygren are sure to the starters in Kazakhstan.
But did any of those who were given a runout further their cause? Not especially. Inamura, who was making his Celtic debut, and Yamada, were decent enough. Murray contribute to a clean sheet, but he and his fellow defenders were hardly tested. McCowan, Engels and Bernardo worked hard throughout.
Kenny, though, did superbly to make it 3-0 after taking over from Yamada. He volleyed a Maeda cross beyond Prior and wrapped up the victory. It was only the Irishman’s second goal in a green and white jersey and was his first at Parkhead. Maybe Rodgers doesn’t need to bring in a centre forward after all.
