Livingston 1-3 Celtic: Visitors overcome nemesis to restore Scottish Premiership lead over Rangers

Celtic regained their three-point lead over Rangers after beating Livingston.

Daizen Maeda headed in the opener from close range after a disputed corner after Celtic's captain missed a penalty.

James Forrest's fine finish made it three.

Celtic won at Tony Macaroni Arena for the first time since 2007.

It was a thoroughly professional, clinical and deserved win for the side in the 50th game in charge of Ange Postecoglou.

The corner decision that led to Celtic's opener and the missed chance to regain fourth spot from Hibs will be rued by Livingston.

• Reaction & as it happened

Livingston have taken 17 points since the winter break and this was a game between the two sides.

Livingston had a chance to take a sixth-minute lead when Joe Hart parried Obileye's corner, but the Celtic goalkeeper was able to get his hand to the ball.

Following two minutes of controversy, Celtic took the lead.

The Livingston centre-half appeared to be unfortunate to concede a penalty kick when Maeda's attempted cut-back struck Jack Fitzwater's arm.

The breakthrough was temporarily prevented when the Celtic captain fired the spot-kick against the outside of a post.

Anthony Ralston won a corner when the ball appeared to last off the Celtic right-back's arm and, although Max Sryjek parried superbly from Carl Starfelt's headed from Jota's delivery, Maeda was at the back post.

It was Celtic's first goal in three meetings with Livingston this season, and it set them on their way to a win.

Livingston should have gone in at the break level after Alan Forrest found Obileye with a free-kick. The defender's goal went off the wall.

After the break, Obileye's toe was inadvertently hit by a cross into the six-yard box, which went into the back of the net.

James had been quiet in their one-to-one exchanges, but Alan Forrest was the one to score on this occasion, racing through to fire low past Stryjek.

Shinnie had scored Livingston's winner when Celtic visited in September, but by the time he stabbed home from a throw-in, the visitors were well on their way to stretching their domestic run to 29 games.

Man of the match - Jota

What did we learn?

Livingston had only lost once in their previous nine home games against Celtic, so they will be disappointed to have suffered defeat.

Martindale will stress that they still have a chance to get a top-six finish and qualify for European football.

The Livingston manager had suggested prior to the game that his side were a different beast from the one that lost in West Lothian in September and so it proved against the only top-flight side he had yet to beat.

Two defeats by Bodo/Glimt in the Conference League have shown that Celtic will take some stopping as they look to win the title in his first season.

What's next?

Celtic will play Dundee United in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals on March 14th, while Livingston will play Heart of Midlothian the same day.

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• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Formation 4-2-1-2.

• 32Stryjek
• 2Devlin
• 5FitzwaterBooked at 14mins
• 6Obileye
• 29Penrice
• 33OmeongaBooked at 38minsSubstituted forAndersonat 60'minutesBooked at 79mins
• 18Holt
• 8PittmanSubstituted forSibbaldat 76'minutes
• 22ShinnieSubstituted forKellyat 71'minutes
• 17Forrest
• 19NoubleSubstituted forSotoat 70'minutes

Substitutes

• 3Longridge
• 9Anderson
• 10Sibbald
• 11Montaño
• 12Soto
• 15Boyes
• 16Lewis
• 24Kelly
• 31Konovalov

Formation 4-3-3.

• 15Hart
• 56Ralston
• 20Carter-Vickers
• 4Starfelt
• 3Taylor
• 18RogicSubstituted forO'Rileyat 75'minutesBooked at 88mins
• 6Bitton
• 42McGregorSubstituted forHatateat 83'minutes
• 49ForrestSubstituted forAbadaat 75'minutes
• 38MaedaSubstituted forGiakoumakisat 75'minutes
• 17Neves Filipe

Substitutes

• 7Giakoumakis
• 11Abada
• 16McCarthy
• 21Ideguchi
• 29Bain
• 33O'Riley
• 41Hatate
• 57Welsh
• 88Juranovic

1. The match ended with Livingston defeating Celtic.

2. Livingston defeated Celtic in the second half.

3. Corner in Livingston. Conceded by Joe Hart.

4. The attempt was saved. The left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Sean Kelly assisted.

5. Giorgos Giakoumakis (Celtic) has a foul.

6. A free kick is won in the defensive half.

7. The attempt was blocked. A shot from outside the box is blocked. Matt O&Riley assisted.

8. Giorgos Giakoumakis won a free kick.

9. Foul by James Penrice.

10. There was an attempt, Livingston. James Penrice tried a through ball, but was caught off guard.

11. The yellow card for a bad foul was shown to Matt ORiley.

12. Foul by Matt ORiley.

13. Sebastian Soto won a free kick in the defensive half.

14. Greg Taylor won a free kick.

15. Sebastian Soto had a foul.

16. Greg Taylor is a Celtic.

17. There was an attempt, Livingston. James Penrice is caught in the act of attempting a through ball.

18. An attempt was missed. Giorgos Giakoumakis missed the ball from the centre of the box. Matt O'Riley assisted with a cross after a corner.

19. Celtic. Reo Hatate is the new person.

20. Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Sean Kelly.