LIVINGSTON, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 27: Benjamin Nygren and Kieran Tierney of Celtic celebrate third goal of the game during the William Hill Premiership match between Livingston and Celtic at Set Fare Arena on December 27, 2025 in Livingston, United Kingdom. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
Ben Nygren scored twice as Celtic beat Livingston 4-2 at Almondvale.
The win takes Celtic to three points behind Hearts with the hoops having a game in hand.
The first half was roller-coaster stuff with all six goals coming in a 36 minute spell.
NYGREN DOUBLE STRIKE
Montana twice had Livingston in front in the first eight minutes and could well have scored a hat-trick.
Nygren and Yang Hyun-jun both equalised quickly for Celtic before the Swede scored the outstanding goal of the match in the 31st minute to put Celtic in front.
Picking the ball up on the left of the penalty box Nygren sent a great left foot shot arching over the Livingston ‘keeper inside the far post.
? “This is incredible”
Another look at Nygren’s strike ? pic.twitter.com/f6kpXWZfjB
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) December 27, 2025
Eight minutes later Celtic looked to have created some breathing space when Arne Engels scored from the penalty spot after VAR had spotted a handball.
It was incredible stuff for the fans to take in as Celtic poured forward at every opportunity- leaving them wide open to the counter attack.
Strangely there were no goals after the break.
HEARTS WITHIN SIGHT
Livingston had a few chances to pull a goal back but looked exactly like a club that has one win to their name after 18 SPFL matches.
With Hearts losing 3-2 away to Hibs the gap at the top of the table has narrowed.
On Tuesday a win away to Motherwell would take Celtic level on points with Derek McInnes but the hoops are currently four short in terms of goal difference.
Hearts aren’t in action in midweek having brought forward their match away to Falkirk.
The trip to Fir Park will be Celtic’s final fixture of an eventful year under three different management teams.
After that the transfer window opens before the first match of 2026 when Celtic Park hosts the Glasgow Derby.
That was 2 poor teams sharing 6 goals.
(Or, rather one rich team and one skint team.)
Yes, it’s 3 points won, and we’re still in the title race. That’s the positive.
But, this time last year, we beat St.Johnstone 4-0: Kyogo 2, Kuhn and Maeda.
The bench was looking strong that day too.
We are miles away from last year… scary how far the team has regressed.
100% Joe always nice to get out of Livvi with a win but by God our defence is suspect, how in God’s name is Ralston still in a Celtic shirt & Nancy is sticking with his new formation which is leaking goals and we don’t have a goal scoring center forward but let’s hope we can get some quality signing in soon
Yes. On the positive any manager who can get 7 goals in 2 games with Johnny Kenny leading the line deserves some credit. On the negative the wins feel like a drunken chancer going around the casinos and lumping on red.
Win at fir park and dispatch the huns plus get a striker in early january then he’s earned the rest of the season. It truly is a situation that could be a goal laden title or a Mowbray style implosion somewhere.
Big Chris Sutton today, perhaps not verbatim but words to the effect of ‘one thing under Nancy it’s certainly not dull’. Absolute class, just as he was as a player. Helped that twat Shearer get so many plaudits. That was pointed out to me about 25 years ago by my long-term golfing partner. RIP Brian Pattinson, an irreplaceable friend.
Gonna be a rollercoaster season for sure !
Clach, im going to Inverskeggy soon to work. Would you meet for a pint in your local or at Johnny foxes? I’m at the Premier inn off the A96 near culloden.
Still panicking.10 men aberdeen struggled against bottom of the league. The manager apparently is still evaluating the squad.A blind man knows what we need.lord Lucan must really love this guy.probably get a loan striker at the end of January if we’re lucky