Celtic Slump Continues As Lennon Faces Axe

Celtic Slump Continues As Lennon Faces Axe

Celtic Manager Neil Lennon is facing calls to resign from the Scottish giants after the club slipped further behind Rangers after a 2-2 draw with Livingston at the Almondvale Stadium.

Lennon’s side are now without a win in their last four matches which is the first time Celtic have done that in 21 years. That run has also seen them draw their last three on the bounce, including a 0-0 draw with Livingston, which puts them 20 points behind arch-rivals Rangers who are currently top of the Scottish Premier League table.

Wednesday’s night stalemate with Livingston has become too much of a regularity for some Celtic supporters, and it’s clear to see that the pressure is starting to get to the players with captain Scott Brown sent off in the 83rd minute for swinging at arm at Jaze Kabia.


What The Manager Says

Celtic manager Neil Lennon told BBC Scotland: "Scott had a moment of madness and it's a lot of ill discipline which is unnecessary. I'd need to see it again. I don't know how much contact he actually made.

"The performance didn't merit the result. We were as good as we've been here for a long time. Bitterly disappointed night not to have won on a difficult pitch on a difficult night."


A Night To Forget

It was a night that started as badly as it began, because with just 15 minutes on the clock, Livingston’s Ciaron Brown headed the home side in the lead and put Celtic immediately on to the back foot.

The away side did respond though, with Mohamed Elyounoussi and Nir Bitton striking before half time to turn the game around and send the visitors in at half-time with a one goal advantage.

However, that wasn’t to last long and on the hour mark, Livingston struck again with a well worked counter-attack, just as Celtic started to look comfortable with their lead.

The earlier goal scorer Ciaron Brown managed to rob Ryan Christie in possession and quickly drove the ball across the box, where Emmanuel-Thomas was waiting to side foot home his fourth strike of the campaign.

While Celtic will see it as two points dropped in their challenge to chase the pace setting Rangers, Livingston will see it as a point gained in their quest of getting closer to playing European football next season.

Livi are currently 5th in the Scottish Premier League table, just a place outside the Europa League qualification spots, and need six points to catch 5th Aberdeen, who themselves, are only 7 points behind Celtic in second.

As for Celtic, they now have a chance to try and get things right on the training ground with almost a week until their next game in the SPL.

Bottom of the table, Hamilton Academical, are the next visitors to Celtic Park on the 27thJanuary, and that is a tie that has seen Celtic win the last 14 head-to-heads. Following that, Celtic have another home game against St Mirren at the end of the month, before an early February trip to Rugby Park to face Kilmarnock.


Scottish Premier League Odds

Celtic’s poor run has also put a dent in the chances of winning the league, with the bookies having pushed their odds to as big as 25/1 to win this season’s SPL title.

According to the Oddsmanager football odds, Rangers are now heavy favourites at 1/16 thanks to their 20-point advantage, with Aberdeen at 1500/1 and Hibernian in the betting at 2000/1.

At the other end of the table, the bookies have it being slightly tighter in the run-up to the end of the season with several sides possibly facing the dreaded drop.

Hamilton currently sit bottom of the pile in the top flight, so are favourites to finish bottom of the table at 6/4, with Ross County at 11/8 and Motherwell now 10/1.