CELTIC got their revenge on Livingston for the defeat they inflicted upon the champions earlier in the campaign in emphatic style, as a clipped Odsonne Edouard finish, a deflected Scott Brown effort and a coolly taken double from James Forrest gave them a comfortable win at Celtic Park.
Here are five talking point as Neil Lennon’s men remained top of the Premiership standings…
PERHAPS TOM ROGIC AND RYAN CHRISTIE CAN PLAY IN THE SAME TEAM AFTER ALL
Such has been the form of Scotland attacker Christie this season that Rogic’s absence from the Celtic side through injury was not as keenly felt as it may once have been, and the Australian may well have been wondering if he would get back into the team at all in his preferred role in behind the frontman.
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Christie, for his part, has spoken previously about how he feels there is room in the side for both men, and his versatility allowed Neil Lennon to achieve that to good effect on Saturday.
Christie operated off the right for the most part, although he and Rogic – and James Forrest too at times - interchanged in behind Odsonne Edouard to lead the Livi defence a merry dance.
Much has rightly been made of the goalscoring form of Edouard and Forrest so far this season, but Christie and Rogic were a joy to watch at times here, and there wont be many defences out there who could live with the movement, skill and technique of the front four that Livingston faced up to.
LEIGH GRIFFITHS CAN TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF ODSONNE EDOUARD
The loudest cheer of the day at Celtic Park on Saturday was the one reserved for Griffiths returning to action after a three month lay-off, and perhaps there would have been no one more pleased than fellow striker Edouard.
The Frenchman may not be showing any signs of fatigue, getting his 14th goal of the season here with a well-taken chip over Livi keeper Matija Sarkic, but it would have been a relief to Neil Lennon to be able to give his main man a breather towards the end of the game for a change.
Griffiths, for his part, appears to be in a good place mentally, a factor noted by his manager on Friday in the lead up to this game. Physically, he looks better than he has done in some time too, although as Lennon also noted, that side of his game still needs a little work.
He almost got himself a goal against Livi to take the roof off Celtic Park, but his lack of sharpness let him down at the crucial moment as he arrived to nod home at the back post, and the opportunity got away.
READ MORE: Watch: Highlights as Celtic beat Livingston 4-0 at Celtic Park
He showed he is still able to sniff out a chance though, and as his match-fitness improves, he will no doubt prove a valuable asset for club and country once more.
GREG TAYLOR FINALLY HAS HIS CHANCE
The left-back has had to be patient since joining Celtic for £3m from Kilmarnock in the summer, with just one start to his name so far in the recent win over St Mirren.
He did however start two games for his country over the past week or so, and impressed in both matches, particularly in his link-up play with club teammate James Forrest.
It was back to the bench for Taylor as domestic football returned, but Jonny Hayes’ misfortune gave him an opportunity to impress. Hayes had popped his shoulder out of place early in the game, and although he soldiered on until the interval, Taylor was pressed into action soon after the restart.
He seemed determined to seize his chance, and immediately struck up that relationship with Forrest once more that had worked to such effect against Cyprus and Kazakhstan. In fact, he might have even had a goal to his name after being played in by Forrest, but he was unfortunate to see his effort come off the post.
With Hayes potentially out for a short period and Boli Bolingoli a doubt for the forthcoming Betfred Cup final against Rangers, it could be an opportune moment for Taylor to prove his worth.
CELTIC’S HUNGER WAS KEY TO WIN
For all that Celtic’s football was easy on the eye for long parts of the game, the victory was born in the relentless attitude of the home players when it came to winning second balls and ensuring they won their individual battles.
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Livingston may be on a poor run of late, not picking up a win since defeating Celtic back in early October, but they always make their opponents earn anything they get against them, and Celtic won that battle first before showing their superior footballing ability.
Neil Lennon was delighted afterwards with the application of his players, and rightly so, as they showed they are prepared to do the dirty work to get results.
CHRISTOPHER JULLIEN ADAPTING TO CHALLENGE OF SCOTTISH LEAGUE
The big Frenchman has been colossal for Celtic since he was given a harsh lesson about the realities of Scottish football by Lyndon Dykes in that defeat at the Toni Macaroni Arena, and he handled the Livingston striker much more comfortably here.
Dykes’ physicality was too much for Jullien at Livingston, but he never allowed the forward a sniff on Saturday, and he showed he was more than up for a scrap if Dykes fancied one.
In fact, Jullien was perhaps a little bit lucky to get away with a late one he left on Dykes after the Livi frontman had played a pass, but it was a signal that Jullien wasn’t about to be dominated by his opponent for a second time.
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