Celtic - 2 Livingston - 0If Martin O'Neill was seeking solace after the disappointment of European defeat then Livingston on current form provided the perfect opposition at Parkhead.
The Almondvale team are a pale shadow of the side that did so well last season and they capitulated in the face of incessant Celtic pressure.
Like so many matches involving one of the Old Firm teams, once the first goal had gone in the result was never in doubt.
That was confirmed here and also at East End Park where Claudio Caniggia's hat-trick was the highlight of a 6-0 win for Rangers over Dunfermline. Mikel Arteta, Fernando Ricksen and a Barry Ferguson penalty completed the scoring there.
This one was effectively ended as a contest when Henrik Larsson headed home a Steve Guppy cross after 26 minutes. There was something of a Euro hangover about this display from the champions, but the victory would have provided something of a tonic, although they managed to add just one more goal, somewhat fortuitously, 12 minutes later when a Marvin Andrews clearance bounced off Bobo Balde into the net.
The home team did create other opportunities, notably through Larsson, Didier Agathe, Chris Sutton and the substitute Alan Thompson but the performance was never more than adequate and certainly never raised fans still disappointed at the midweek result out of their stupour.
"I sensed beforehand there was a desire about them and they did very well," insisted O'Neill who discovered afterwards that his list of players on international duty this week had been added to by Bobo Balde's call up to the Guinea squad.
Others who will be away include Scot Paul Lambert and Swede Johan Mjallby, who missed this game through injury but who will be fit for their countries.
"The problem we have now is that Balde's game is next Sunday and I simply have to wait and see if he and the others get back intact before our next match at Motherwell on the Tuesday," O'Neill said.
After Celtic had missed out on the Champions League in Basle, O'Neill must have sensed the likelihood of his team getting back on track for he made five changes to the midweek team and never looked like dropping even a point.
Livingston, who struggled through their midweek UEFA Cup tie by drawing 0-0 at home to Vaduz of Liechtenstein, created just four chances throughout the 90 minutes.
CELTIC: Hedman, Balde, Valgaeren, Laursen, Agathe, McNamara, Fernandez (Thompson 80), Petrov, Guppy, Larsson (Maloney 68), Sutton (Hartson 69). Subs Not Used: Douglas, Crainey. Goals: Larsson 26, Balde 38.
LIVINGSTON: Broto, Andrews, Rubio, Dorado (Varate 61), Brinquin (Bollan 66), Makel, Lovell (Toure-Maman 60), Quino, Bahoken, Dadi, Bingham. Subs Not Used: McEwan, Steven Whalen. Booked: Lovell.
Referee: A Freeland (Aberdeen).
