On Sunday we witnessed another nail biting episode in Celtic’s season this time at Rugby Park. 2-0 down to Kilmarnock at half time and not playing well on the plastic pitch. Some Celtic fans went into meltdown on social media.

Martin O’Neill called the players magnificent after the game but only those in the dressing room will know what he called them during the break.  What ever he said Celtic came out for the second half the better for it.

The game was Martin O’Neill’s 300^th appearance and he must have been scratching his head watching that first half and wondering if that is as bad any of his Celtic teams have played in those 300 games? He kicks every ball and after the game he must have been so relieved after what he witnessed in that first half.

He made 3 changes at half time and those changes had an impact on the outcome of the game. After the Celtic fight back and the game poised at 2 goals each. Kilmarnock got back into the game and had chances including when John-Jules rattled a free kick off the cross bar to fire a warning to Celtic that they were still very much in the game.

Thankfully it was another late winning goal that sent us into wild celebrations. Araujo left it very late, the 97^th minute to score the winner. How much did he enjoy that goal leaping into the Celtic fans to celebrate.

I listened to the official Celtic podcast with him last week and he came across very humble. He grew up in working class immigrant family in the US and he has immense pride in playing for Mexico.

Substitute Tounekti scored a magnificent goal to get Celtic back into the game and Nygren once again was on the score sheet to make it 2-2. Some players were not at their best on Sunday and they will need to pick themselves up for Thursday night when we take on a quality team in Stuttgart who also won at the weekend. Tickets are still on sale for Thursday night but you would be expecting this one to sell out even with what is going on off the field between the Celtic board and Celtic fans.

The rangers v  Hearts at Ibrox came next. The Edinburgh side were the ones who dropped points. They still sit top of the table on 57 point, the rangers are second with 55 points and Celtic sit in third with 54 points with a game in hand. Motherwell beat Aberdeen to keep in the chase with 47 points they also have a game in hand.

Celtic are the only Scottish team left in Europe so that means that all those in the race for title will have more time to prepare for the weekends fixtures. Hibs visit Celtic Park on Sunday at same time the rangers are away to bottom of the table Livingston. On Saturday Hearts are at home to Falkirk while Motherwell travel to Paisley to play St. Mirren.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast 

CELTIC: Schmeichel, Araujo, Trusty, Scales, Tierney, McGregor, Hatate, Nygren, Yang, Adamu, Maeda.
Subs: Sinisalo, Cvancara, McCowan, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tounekti, Saracchi, Murray, Forrest, Donovan

 

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Sunday Service resumes today as Celtic travel to Rugby Park to take on Kilmarnock in another must win away day. Celtic are in a 3 horse race now with the rangers and Hearts but Motherwell proved on Wednesday night that they may not be in a title race but they are the team that is capable of taking points off any of the top three especially at home.

Motherwell played Celtic off the park in Wilfried Nancy’s last away game during his 33 days at Celtic but under Martin O’Neill Celtic are a different animal. Performances have not been great under O’Neill but he seems to be able to get the results and with some new recruits in during the transfer window including a potential match winner in Alex Oxlade Chamberlain if he can get match fit and stay fit. Things are looking brighter in the East End of Glasgow.

Celtic have scored so many late goals this season and the last time we played at Rugby Park, Brendan Rodgers was the manager and Kelechi Iheanacho scored a last minute penalty to announce himself to the Celtic fans. Who will lead the line upfront for Celtic on the plastic pitch. Will it be Junior Adamu one of the hero’s of the Scottish Cup win over Dundee or will O’Neill stick with Tomáš Čvančara?.

Neil McCann is now in charge at Kilmarnock and they sit second from bottom in the SPFL table. The Celtic game kicks off at 2pm and will be shown live on Sky Sports and streamed on Celtic TV for subscribers outside Ireland and the UK.

Duncan Nicolson is the ref. Scott Anderson and Alastair Taylor are the lines men. Greg Aitken is on VAR duties with Chris Graham.

Elsewhere the rangers take on Hearts at Ibrox and someone is dropping points or maybe both of them. That game kicks off at 4:30pm and is live on Sky Sports.

The Bhoys Ultras brought some of the noise back to Celtic Park  last night in their little corner of the ground. Talks are on going between Celtic supporters and the Celtic board. Let us hope that when we visit Celtic Park next Thursday night for the Stuttgart game that the Green Brigade are back in the North Curve corner of Celtic Park. Not much beats a full Paradise on big European Nights.

Getting all Celtic fans back into the stadium won’t be the answer to all Celtic’s current woes but it will be a step in the right direction at a time when Martin O’Neill and the Celtic players need us united in the stands supporting them home and away.

Last night Celtic should have had the game wrapped up at half time but were so wasteful in front of goal missing chance after chance before Saracchi opened the scoring for Celtic with a cracker of a goal.

Livingston forced Kasper into making a one handed save in the first half but apart from that it was one way traffic. The half time chat over a cup of hot Bovril was of how many chances Celtic had missed. Giving away a penalty which was converted added to the frustration in the second half as Livingston defended with every one of their players camped deep in their own box as Celtic tried to break them down and get the vital win.

As the minutes ticked by super sub Alex Oxlade Chamberlain showed his class with a superb goal. His cameo role and goal got him the sponsors man of the match award I guess they wanted to meet the new bhoy and congratulate him.

There was more drama to come in the bar at Celtic Park after the final whistle when they switched over to the Motherwell v the rangers game. Motherwell down to 10 men were 1-0 down to the visitors before Celtic loanee Stephen Welsh scored the equaliser to become the toast of Celtic Park.

Celtic remain third in the league a point behind the rangers with a game in hand and 6 points behind Hearts. Next up is the plastic pitch of Rugby Park when Celtic travel to take on Kilmarnock for a 2pm kick off on Sunday. Another win is vital if Celtic are to keep up our title dreams.

Hopefully we are celebrating a win and then all eyes will be on the rangers v Hearts game which kicks off at 4:30pm. Points are being dropped by someone or maybe both of them. The Ox and Welsh were the heroes last night and now we look forward to Sunday as the games come thick and fast.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast

Martin O’Neill and Liam Scales faced the media yesterday ahead of tonights game against Livingston under the lights at Paradise. Both of them were asked about the arrival of Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and all the news is positive.

O’Neill would not be drawn into whether Chamberlain would start tonight or not. Reading between the lines I think he will play some part and like so many other Celtic fans I am looking forward to seeing a player of his pedigree in a Celtic shirt.

The focus should be on the Livingston game but as expected they were both asked about the quarter final of the Scottish Cup against the rangers at Ibrox. O’Neill hopes that Celtic fans are given a full allocation for that one. It would be a massive lift for the players to run out to a full Green and White Broomloan end at Ibrox. It would be just like old times.

But before all that there is plenty of football to be played. Livingston have a new manager in Marvin Bartley with David Martindale moving upstairs to take on the role of sporting director but all our thoughts will be on Martin O’Neill and his impressive unbeaten domestic record during his two stints in the Celtic hotseat.

The game kicks off at 19:45. Celtic TV are streaming the game live to subscribers outside Ireland and the UK but it can be purchased for £12.99 (£9.99 for Ireland & UK Subscribers). Highlights of the game will be shown on Sportscene BBC Scotland at 22:40.

As always I am looking forward to meeting fellow Celtic fans traveling to the game and in and around Celtic Park.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & host of the Celtic Soul Podcast