CELTIC resume the SPFL Premiership title race with a trip to Livingston and can ill afford a slip-up on the plastic pitch ahead of what's shaping up as a season-defining derby at Ibrox next weekend.
A victory at the Tony Macaroni Arena would send the Hoops into that clash with Rangers sitting top of the table after Philippe Clement side's saw their game at Dundee postponed just before the international break.
But if Brendan Rodgers and his men drop more points against the team sitting bottom of the table then it would be a massive dent to morale ahead their trip across the city.
Since losing 2-0 at Tynecastle with 10 men in a game dominated by VAR controversy, the response has been good from Celtic, with a 4-2 victory over Livingston in the Scottish Cup followed by a 3-1 triumph over St Johnstone in the league.
With just eight games to go, every match is pretty much a must-win in a title race that looks set to go right down to the wire. But Livingston also desperately need victories if they're to pull off a great escape, with the Lions now 10 points adrift at the bottom.
David Martindale's men have claimed just one league win since October and look doomed to the drop having collected only one point from their last five Premiership outings.
But a shock win over the champions would give them a massive injection of confidence and Livingston have proved a tough nut to crack for Celtic in recent seasons.
How the bookies view it
With Livingston in such dismal form it's no surprise to see them as big as 14/1 with SkyBet for a win. Celtic's best price is just 2/9 with Ladbrokes while the draw pays 6/1 with most firms.
Recent head to head
Livingston have been a bogey team for Celtic in recent seasons and there was an 11-game spell when the Hoops claimed just three victories against the Lions. But that run ended with a 3-1 win in West Lothian two years ago and Celtic have since chalked up seven wins in a row in this fixture. Even after having keeper Joe Hart sent off on their last visit to the Tony Macaroni Arena, Rodgers' side still managed to ease to a 3-0 victory.
Players to watch
I flagged up Tete Yengi as Livingston's biggest threat in the recent Scottish Cup tie and the Australian capped an impressive display by getting on the scoresheet. He has netted five times since signing in January and is 11/2 with Bet365 for another goal.
Some Celtic fans and pundits were quick to write off January arrival Nicolas Kuhn after a poor start to his Parkhead career. But the German winger has been excellent in the last two games and is hitting form just in time for the run-in. He's 23/10 at Paddy Power for a third Celtic goal but an assist is probably more likely once that market is priced up.
Anything else catch the eye?
Livingston usually park the bus against Celtic but Martindale changed tack for the Scottish Cup tie at Parkhead and a more adventurous approach almost paid off, with only two late goals sealing that 4-2 Hoops triumph. Draws are no use to Livi with games running out so I'd imagine Martindale will have a go here and use the same blueprint as the cup tie. That makes BTTS worth a look at 23/20 with McBookie while combing that with over 2.5 goals boost the odds to 13/10 at Bet365.
I've been left frustrated with Celtic corner bets in recent weeks, coming up just one flag kick short in their last two outings. Livingston's tight pitch often leads to plenty of set pieces so I'm going to stick with my guns and go for over 11 corners at 6/5 with Bet365 while the same firm price over five first-half flag kicks at 11/10.
Livingston's frustration has been boiling over of late, with 11 yellow cards amassed in their last two games. They could get stuck in again when the Hoops come calling and Livingston -1 in the card market looks great value at 21/10 with Bet365.
This Scottish Premiership match between Livingston and Celtic will be played on Mar 31, 2024 and kick off at 12:00. Check below for our tipsters best Livingston vs Celtic prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
