Celtic’s win over Livingston was fairly comprehensive.
Even after going in at the break 0-0, Celtic took care of Livingston in the final 45 minutes despite creating many chances to break the deadlock in the first-half.
A double from Benjamin Nygren and a lovely finish from Johnny Kenny sealed the three points as Celtic brushed Livingston aside at Parkhead.
And speaking after the match, Livingston boss David Martindale admits he’s glad he won’t be back at Celtic Park for a long while now.
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Livingston boss David Martindale glad to see the back of Celtic
Martindale must have been feeling pretty upbeat at half-time inside Celtic Park but by the end of the 90 minutes, the Bhoys clearly left the Livingston boss gutted.
When asked to sum up the Celtic result, Martindale told Livingston TV, “I’m glad I’m not back for a while. It’s difficult. Folk think that’s easy [shutting up shop].
“Is that how I want to play football? No, not really. Not really. But you’ve got to find a balance between a Ferrari and a Mini.
“The team that came here midweek team, they’ve not got the same finances Celtic have got but that’s not a shape or system I want to play.”
David Martindale highlights the Celtic player he would take ‘in a heartbeat’
Despite all the discontent over Celtic’s transfer business, Martindale admits there is one he would bite the Parkhead club’s hand off to have at Livingston.
Martindale continued, “I think there’s going to be a couple of games this year, this being one of them, where I felt we had to change our shape.
“But you can see the quality they’ve got. People are looking at it going they’ve made loads of changes but I think that’s a wee bit of an understatement because the players that are coming in [for Celtic], I’m taking any one of them.
“Dane Murray I felt was one of the best players in the Championship last year. I would have took him in a heartbeat this year. So the changes they’re making are still top-level players, international players from their own associations.
“But I think the game once that first goal goes in the game becomes a wee bit easier for Celtic. We’ve got to show our hand. Then the space and the distances get a wee bit bigger, then you leave yourself a wee bit vulnerable in terms of defensively and in the counter.”
With Kairat Almaty up next for Celtic, Brendan Rodgers can focus fully now on Champions League qualification knowing he has a healthy lead at the top of the table.
If the Hoops boss can negotiate this tricky tie, add a couple of new players and beat Rangers at Ibrox next Sunday, what a week it would be for Celtic and the fans after all the negativity over the last five days.
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