CELTS DON’T TAKE IT LION DOWN
Bhoys are battered and bruised by rock solid Livi but Rogic goal shows why Lenny’s champs are never beaten
CELTIC were battered and bruised after another battle in the Lions’ Den – but they wouldn’t be beaten.
Another mauling by Livingston looked on the cards until Tom Rogic bit back in stoppage time and no one at Parkhead would see it as two points dropped.
It was one huge gain on the way to the Premiership title.
The Tony Macaroni Arena has become the toughest place to go in Scottish football and Celts were just glad to get out alive given they extended their lead at the top on the back of Rangers being humbled by Hamilton. But blimey it was hard work. Christopher Jullien admitted he was nervous when Celts lost 2-0 here last time and the big defender suffered another dose of the jitters.
Old adversary Lyndon Dykes gave him another torrid time and left the Frenchman in a heap on the way to Livi’s second goal.
Callum McGregor had long before fired the champions in front but anxiety can prove contagious as Fraser Forster also picked the wrong night to get struck by stage fright.
The keeper has been a rock but he dropped Ciaron Brown’s long throw to allow Livingston to level and turn it into a pretty painful evening for the Parkhead men.
It was harsh on the home side, who have now gone eight in a row without defeat in these parts, as they poured everything into holding out until the death but Celtic simply refused to go down.
It’s no wonder some Hoops fans were a bit twitchy about this one. Livingston away has become the nightmare fixture for most teams in the country.
The Tony Macaroni might not exactly be an intimidating atmosphere but on their pitch the Lions have become fearsome.
The plastic surface gets a bad rap but there’s nothing artificial abut Gary Holt’s side’s home form. Sure, they are used to the 3G and they can be direct at times but they are far from just long-ball merchants. Livi can play a bit as well and they are experts in making life difficult for teams.
This clash would have been circled in the calendar for months, not just as a potential sticky match but as a chance for revenge as well.
Celtic’s 2-0 defeat here in October was a shock at the time but less so now given the run the West Lothian club have been on.
Lennon’s men had been building up a head of steam themselves after an unbeaten domestic start to 2020 and the Hoops gaffer was in no mood to tinker last night.
Leigh Griffiths was replaced by Mohamed Elyounoussi but the winger went up top rather than
out wide as the Parkhead boss stuck with the 3-5-2 formation that has helped fire his side clear in the Premiership.
There wasn’t much need for Holt to rip things up either after 10 days’ rest and his only switch was Scott Robinson coming in for Jack McMillan.
Former Celt Efe Ambrose took his home bow against his old side and soon learned his new team don’t hang about admiring anyone – they get wired in.
There was danger when Scott Pittman fed Robinson and it took a graze of Forster’s gloves to keep it out the bottom corner.
But Celtic know how to respond when there’s a whiff of peril. They went up the park and took the lead after 17 minutes.
Greg Taylor did the spadework down the left, Steve Lawson could only divert the ball in to the path of McGregor who dropped a shoulder and let rip.
It was one to settle the nerves but Livi don’t allow any settling of any nature. They rattle cages constantly and everyone is aware of their threat from long throws. It’s another thing defending it.
Forster had to do better though when he juggled Brown’s catapult into the box and allowed Guthrie to hook the ball over his shoulder and into the unguarded net.
The big keeper howled for a foul but even his team-mates knew he was havering.
Celts cranked up the pressure and Jullien should have hit the target with a free header while Odsonne Edouard thumped the inside of the post. But Livi held firm to give Lennon a half-time headache and he would have needed the Anadin Extra just 50 seconds after the restart.
Dykes got the better of Jullien again, leaving the Frenchman flat out on the fake turf, then cutting back for Robinson to net.
It had been fast and frantic all night but once Celtic went behind there was a hint of frustration, desperation even.
Most teams tend to expect a backlash but Livingston don’t wait for it. They continued to hassle and harry, chase and carry, forcing passes to go astray.
News of Hamilton’s shock lead at Ibrox seemed to spark Celts though. They pinned Livi back and began turning the screw. Nir Bitton made Robbie McCrorie think with a long-range swirler, Taylor flashed across the face before sub Jeremie Frimpong did the same. McCrorie then clawed the ball off Edouard’s head. Dykes nearly ended it on the break when he curled one over the bar, after spooking Jullien once again. Guthrie produced another brilliant last gasp challenge to deny Edouard but Livi finally caved in injury-time when Edouard smashed his way through and teed up Rogic.