Celtic came from behind for the second time in a week to go top of the Premiership with a narrow victory over Livingston.
Neil Lennon’s side had given up the first goal away to St Mirren on Wednesday before winning 2-1 and found themselves behind at home when Jason Holt scored a 16th-minute penalty.
Two goals in three minutes from Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie had the Hoops ahead at the interval and the Switzerland striker Albian Ajeti added a third seven minutes into the second half.
The Livi defender Julien Serrano, on loan from Monaco, pulled a goal back in the 78th minute but it was not enough to prevent the champions going ahead of Rangers on goals for having played the same number of games. Steve Gerrard’s side have the chance to go back top on Sunday against Hibernian.
After a tepid start, there was three goals, the first of which followed an unsuccessful Celtic penalty shout in the 14th minute when the Livingston defender Ciaron Brown blocked a close-range shot from Christie, who had come close with a free-kick moments earlier.
Gavin Duncan ignored the claim but not Livingston’s moments later when Kristoffer Ajer handled a cross from Scott Tiffoney. The former Rangers midfielder Holt slammed the spot-kick past Vasilis Barkas.
The champions’ response was perfect. McGregor took a pass from Ajeti and hammered it high past Robby McCrorie in the Livingston goal from the edge of the penalty area with the help of a deflection for his 50th goal for the Hoops.
Three minutes later, the Scotland midfielder sent Greg Taylor racing down the left and his cutback was smartly converted by the influential Christie.
Ajeti’s goal in the 52nd minute was impressive. Olivier Ntcham picked up the ball and moved it on to Christie, whose first-time pass put the striker through against McCrorie and he confidently swept it past the keeper. Celtic relaxed further and tightened their grip on the game. In the 68th minute, McCrorie made a good save at his near post from Jeremie Frimpong.
Among a slew of substitutes, Celtic’s James Forrest and his brother, Livingston’s Alan Forrest, came on to play against each other for the first time before Serrano notched his first Livingston goal with a glorious strike from 25 yards.
That ensured an uncomfortable finish for the home side, who were let off when the Livingston substitute Carlo Pignatiello missed a late chance when he headed wide.
Odsonne Édouard sat out the game and Lennon stressed his desire to keep the French striker, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal, Aston Villa and Brighton.
“I don’t want to sell him,” said Lennon. “We have had no bids and no confirmed interest in him so I am hoping by the end of the window he is still a Celtic player.
“He is a good kid, his attitude has been fine, he is not causing any problems behind the scenes as far as I’m aware.”