Celtic 0 Livingston 0 LIVE as Matt O’Riley wastes a big chance at the back post

Tom Parkes has taken the full force of a strong Cameron Carter-Vickers effort from distance flush in the face and the big defender is still receiving treatment having been shaken up as the management team debate whether or not to make the change.

Michael Nottingham is coming on to replace Parkes, who has had to be replaced after a lengthy injury stoppage.

Nouble and Penrice exchange passes and the wing-back gets to the byline but his low cross is picked up by Hart.

Livingston do well to work it up the pitch and Jason Holt manages to work himself some space on the right side of the box but his cross is well cut out and Celtic can clear.

It’s been a Herculean effort from the visitors as they look to frustrate their hosts, who have had all of the ball and the chances but they’ve been unable to find a way through thus far.

Celtic 0-0 Livingston. 34 minutes on the clock.

It’s a big chance for O’Riley with yet another cross from the left reaching the Danish playmaker on the edge of the six-yard box, but he’s unable to control the ball and it’s smothered by the goalkeeper

Another half-chance for Celtic as the ball is played low into the box and Obileye clears it off his man de Lucas and out for a corner.

The ball over the top for Palma is intercepted at the edge of the box, but bobbles off the Livi defender and into the path of Maeda, but Tom Parkes gets back in the nick of time to clear it and collides with his own goalie in the process.

Hamilton is ok though and back to his feet.

Still Celtic 0-0 Livingston after 25 minutes.

Alistair Johnston tries to get Celtic back up the pitch as he plays it over the top for the pace of Maeda, but the Livi keeper is quick off the mark to claim in the box.

Celtic are piling on the pressure, but it remains goalless with 20 minutes on the clock, but only Daizen Maeda will know how.

The hosts work another dangerous low ball to the back post where Maeda is waiting to tap it in but it slips under his legs as he slides to finish and it remains Celtic 0-0 Livingston.

Andrew Shinnie concedes a free-kick at the left corner of the box, which Luis Palma takes, with Jack Hamilton parrying unconvincingly back into the danger area, but it’s not pounced upon by the Celtic attackers and the ball is cleared.

Every player bar Joe Hart is currently operating in the Livingston third, as Paulo Bernardo gets to the byline and plays a decent cutback into the box, but it’s cut out well.

There’s a vociferous backing from the home fans which is driving the players on here.

Callum McGregor works the ball wide for Luis Palma, and the Honduran winger opts to shoot from distance, but it goes harmlessly wide of the Livi goal.

Still Celtic 0-0 Livingston.

Massive chance for Celtic as they work it into the box for the overlapping Greg Taylor, who manages to get a good cut-back that finds Kyogo but the Japanese striker’s low shot is blocked on the line by a Livingston defender.

Celtic have started strongly here.

O’Riley almost turns provider as he sticks a low cross into the front post, which is just out of reach for Kyogo.

Celtic have been on the attack from the first whistle here and O’Riley is close to opening the scoring as he’s found from a corner from the left-hand side but he’s not quite able to connect and it goes over the bar.

Luis Palma’s corner drops to Matt O’Riley but the Dane can’t nod the ball towards goal – an early scare for the visitors!

The Honudran whips a cross in from the left-hand side.

Obileye is forced to clear the ball for the first corner of the afternoon.

We’re expecting the teams any moment now with kick-off moments away.

Brendan Rodgers was speaking to club media in the build-up to kick-off and he was speaking on the inclusion of Paulo Bernardo in his starting XI for this one:

Paulo’s a very honest player who brings an energy and a determination in the game, so he’s obviously played and started in a lot of the bigger games for us. He’s shown up very well in training and he has that desire and mentality that we would want in the team.

On the potential for Daizen Maeda to offer an increased tempo in the side, the manager said:

Yeah, but it can’t just be him, that’s his natural game, I think it’s a team responsibility to have that conviction and that mentality right from the very first whistle so hopefully we can see that today.

On Cameron Carter-Vickers’ 100th appearance for the club:

He’s had a very, very good career here at Celtic and hopefully he can stay for many more years. It’s important for him, he’s one of the real pillars of the group and his mentality and desire can hopefully push the other players.

Cameron Carter-Vickers is all set for his 100th appearance in Celtic colours this afternoon and the American centre-half will be hoping to mark the milestone with a comfortable victory against Livingston this afternoon.

The former Tottenham defender has been a rock at the back for the home side during his time in Glasgow and Celtic have very seldom lost a match in which he has started.

And they have returned in their usual style with pyro aplenty en route to Parkhead.

The ultras’ noise will be needed as the champions chase three points against lowly Livingston.

The Green Brigade will return to their safe-standing section 111 of Celtic Park after talks between the ultras fan group and Celtic led to a lifting of the club suspension of season tickets for those affiliated with the group.

A mammoth 14-point code of conduct was drawn up by the club, which the ultras have agreed to abide by in order to secure their return to the stadium and end the lockout.

Manager Brendan Rodgers was pleased with the news, stating that:

When you have the manager, the supporters and the players all on the same page it’s a real force.

It hasn’t been the atmosphere for a number of weeks but that’s the responsibility of everyone. But we know when the atmosphere is white hot at Celtic it makes it a really, really difficult place for teams to come and play and also it gives the players that extra edge as well.

They are better being inside and cheering us on and hopefully that brings us all together and we can now look forward for the rest of the season.”

Celtic are hoping that winger Yang Hyun-jun will return from the shoulder injury that has kept him out in recent matches, but the home side will be without longer-term absentees Liel Abada and Reo Hatate who are yet to resume full training.

Odin Thiago Holm did return to training yesterday, but may be short of the required sharpness to feature after an illness.

For the visitors, captain Michael Devlin misses out through suspension, but apart from that David Martindale can call upon a full squad for this one.

While it’s a pleasingly mild 11C for this time of year, there’s persistent rain and a prevailing wind to worry about which will surely affect the playing conditions in the East End.

Matthew MacDermid is the man in the middle for this afternoon’s top v bottom clash and he leads the on-field officials team consisting of assistants Daniel McFarlane and Andy Milne, while Alastair Grieve is your fourth official.

In the VAR Room Alan Muir is joined by his AVAR Andrew McWilliam as the pair behind the monitors.

It’s the final round of matches before Christmas and Celtic will be hoping to give their fans some cheer this afternoon as they host bottom side Livingston, who will be desperate to secure any kind of result as they look to avoid going further adrift at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership table.

Davie Martindale’s side have been stubborn operators against Celtic in the past, but injuries and a loss of form have seen the Lions rooted to the foot of the table, five points behind Motherwell with a game in hand.

For Brendan Rodgers, it’s all about a fire-and-brimstone type reaction to consecutive domestic defeats against Kilmarnock and Hearts, which have seen a previously healthy lead at the top cut right down to just two points having played a game more than Rangers.

It’s sure to be another enthralling Saturday afternoon showdown at Celtic Park and you can follow all of the action LIVE right here.

It’s been a feeling Celtic have been unaccustomed to in over a decade but a response to consecutive Premiership defeats is a necessity for the champions.

Brendan Rodgers batted away suggestions he’s going through the motions but the veteran boss is acutely aware the time is now to show their mettle. A run of four games before the winter break has the makings of a season-defining stretch for Celtic and it starts with a home clash with lowly Livingston before Santa comes down the chimney.

But what lessons have been learned in the sobering defeats to Kilmarnock and Hearts? Celtic fans are expecting changes and they are likely to be forthcoming. David Turnbull and Mikey Johnston were both hooked at half-time against the Jambos but the former provides a goal threat to break down Livi’s low block. Is this Paulo Bernardo’s time amid limited minutes in the league? All will be revealed soon. And Daizen Maeda feels a banker to return to the starting XI after his comeback against Hearts. Record Sport looks at the ways Celtic could line-up on Saturday with Yang back in the squad and Odin Holm missing out.

Celtic have started their January sales early with Japanese champions Vissel Kobe agreeing a £870,000 deal to sign forgotten on loan midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi, according to mutiple reports in his homeland.

The 27-year-old was at the centre of a battle between Vissel Kobe and his current loan club Avispa Fukuoka, who Ideguchi helped win the Japanese League Cup this season. And Kobe have reportedly won the battle to sign him after agreeing the fee with Scottish Cup to sign the player officially on January 15, when the J-League transfer window reopens.

The Japanese international midfielder returned to his homeland earlier this year after a frustrating spell in Glasgow. He suffered an ankle break in one of his first games back in March, but recovered quickly and was widely praised for his performances in the J-League.

Andrew Shinnie admits pal Tom Lockyer suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch gives him perspective over Livingston’s battle to beat the drop.

The pair remain friends from their time together at Luton and Shinnie was shocked to discover last weekend he’d collapsed as their clash with Bournemouth ended up abandoned. Lockyer, who also had a health scare in May’s play-off final, was released from hospital on Thursday after having an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) device fitted.

It was a fright. He was my good pal when I was down there. I found out quite soon after the game he was alert and responsive. But it was scary news and I think he’s doing OK now. His health is the main thing. I’ll try to speak to him when it calms down but he needs to take time with his family, get all his checks and tests done. A guy suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch is horrible to see and it can be life-threatening. They say football is life and death but it’s not. We don’t want to be where we are but we can turn this situation around. Something like this maybe puts it into perspective a bit and makes you think, ‘Just go and enjoy it.

The champions are aiming to end their recent woes while Livinston appear to have been mired in woe all season long.

The stakes are high and you won’t miss a moment with us.