Christie red cost Celtic first defeat for Lennon
NEIL LENNON says that Ryan Christie’s red card cost Celtic dear as they were defeated at Livingston to fall two points behind Rangers at the top of the Premiership. Celtic were reduced to 10 men in the first half as Christie saw red for a wild challenge on Scott Robinson, with referee Willie Collum instantly dismissing the Scotland midfielder. Robinson recovered to give his side a deserved lead just after the break, before Lyndon Dykes made sure that the points stayed at the Toni Macaroni Arena with a well-taken second for the home team. That meant Celtic dropped points for the second consecutive week on the road following a draw against Hibernian at Easter Road last time out, but Lennon is refusing to press the panic button just yet. “You can’t panic but I am expecting better,” Lennon said. “I did tell them before the game that the fixture was a concern. It’s a dangerous opponent in a dangerous environment. I knew Livi would be up for it and they were. We needed to match that. “It’s a poor result. We started the game okay, we were quite bright and there was a good tempo and intensity. Then we lose Ryan very early and we have to readjust. “We were okay going in at half-time and I felt we could go on and win it. But it was really passive from us for the first goal and then we have tried to force the issue with 10 men. “We put a certain amount of pressure on the goal without working the keeper enough. “Our decision making wasn’t great at time and then we should be doing better at the second goal. We should be dealing with that. “It’s possibly down to fatigue. They are human beings and they put a lot into the game on Thursday. “I hoped the subs would help us but they didn’t really impact the game as we would have liked. “I didn’t really think about making more changes. We put a strong team out. We were comfortable early on in a difficult environment without really testing their goal. “I felt we were in control until the red card.” Despite Lennon’s feelings that the outcome of the game hinged on Christie’s dismissal, he believes that referee Collum made the correct call. “I have no issue with the red card,” he said. “It’s totally unlike him but he was late. “It may look worse than it was in slow-motion but yeah, it’s a red card. “I’m not happy about it and it cost us, but it’s not like Ryan.” Lennon’s ire instead was focused at his dozy defenders, who he believed were culpable for both of Livingston’s goals. “We let [Robbie] Crawford get turned far too easily and he was able to play the pass [for the first goal],” he said. “We should be up on him, making him go the other way. “That was disappointing but you still think, ‘Eventually we will get one’. But the second goal put a huge dent in that and it’s a poor goal. It’s a straight ball over the top and Dykes got in behind the two centre-halves.”
LIVINGSTON recorded the first victory over Celtic in their history at the Tony Macaroni Arena yesterday – and dealt their opponents a savage blow in their bid to win a ninth consecutive Ladbrokes Premiership title in the process.
The ordering off of Ryan Christie midway through the first half after a crude challenge on Scott Robinson was a huge setback for Neil Lennon’s side and Gary Holt’s team took full advantage. Second-half goals from Robinson and Lyndon Dykes secured a fine win.
So did Christie deserve to walk? Were the Almondvale club worthy winners? What on earth happened to the Parkhead outfit? And what does it all mean going forward? Here’s what we learned from an incidentpacked afternoon.
Livingston were immense
The playing surface at the Tony Macaroni Arena may give the home team a huge, some would say unfair, advantage over any visitors to West Lothian.
Having a man more for more than an hour also worked in Livingston’s favour. But nothing should be taken away from Holt’s men. They were the better team and merited the three points.
They pressed Celtic relentlessly from kick-off to the final whistle and prevented them from gaining a foothold in the match, they threw themselves into every 50-50 challenge with scant regard for their own wellbeing and they dealt comfortably with the high balls which were shelled into their area.
Livingston goalkeeper Matija Sarkic was certainly tested during the course of the 90 minutes, particularly when he was facing Vakoun Bayo and Odsonne Edouard in the second half. And at the end as Kristoffer Ajer and Christopher Jullien went up front to complement their attack. But even going with four in attack proved to no avail.
A team which had been on a fourgame losing streak going into this game also scored two outstanding goals. It was an exceptional all-round display.
Christie cost his side dear
It could have had something to do with the unusual bounce of the ball on the artificial surface or it might have been down to a desire to give opponents who were, as always, taking a decidedly physical approach to the game a taste of their own medicine.
But Christie could have no complaints about being ordered off for his reckless challenge on Robinson in the 25th minute whatever the reason for his moment of utter madness.
Referee Willie Collum wasted no time in reaching for his red card after Christie had scythed down Robinson directly in front of him. It was the correct decision.
The Scotland player was fortunate his rival, who required medical attention before resuming the match, wasn’t seriously injured. He could quite easily have suffered a broken leg. He was lucky his limb was planted on the turf when contact was made.
Being at a numerical disadvantage proved costly for the away side. They would have fared far better with a full complement of players. It was the first time in no fewer than 20 games that Celtic have failed to score and their first domestic defeat of the season. There are still 30 league games to be played and 90 points up for grabs in the 2019/20 campaign. But could this defeat prove costly come May?
There is, on the evidence of the opening nine games, not going to be too much between the two Glasgow clubs. Every dropped point is important. This loss, then, could prove decisive.
Ajer had another off day
The Norwegian centre-half didn’t give away a needless penalty, as he had against Rennes in France earlier this month, or net an own goal, as he did against Hibernian at Easter Road eight days before, yesterday. But this was another afternoon for the defender to forget.
He was caught flat-footed by Crawford’s pass for the first goal and will, along with Jullien, shudder when he sees the second again. Dykes was allowed to breeze between the two centre-backs and get on the end of long ball that should have been dealt with and cleared to safety.
The 21-year-old made several powerful surges up the park with the ball at his feet and tested Sarkic with a shot in the first half. But he is in the team to keep the ball out of his own net and once again failed in that duty yesterday.
Dykes for Scotland?
National manager Steve Clarke was an interested onlooker in the stand yesterday and the performance of Dykes up front for Livingston is sure to have grabbed his attention; the 6ft 2in 23-year-old gave Jullien a torrid afternoon and converted his opportunity when it came brilliantly.
Dykes was born and brought up in Canberra and on the Gold Coast in Australia. But his mother and father both hail from the Dumfries area. He is, then, eligible to play for this country. Holt, who won 10 caps during his playing career, certainly believes he would be worth a look.
Scotland aren’t exactly spoiled for choice when it comes to strikers. The selection of Dundee United forward Lawrence Shankland in the squad for the Euro 2020 double-header against Russia and San Marino this week has underlined that.
If a player who is plying his trade in the second tier can be considered, then so should Dykes (below).
More teams will drop points at the Tony Macaroni Arena
Celtic can console themselves with the fact that they will not be the only team to drop points against Livingston away this season.
Marvin Bartley and his team-mates may not produce slick passing football, but they are a handful. The trip to West Lothian is now one of the most challenging in the Scottish game.