Chris Sutton has pointed to the positive mindset both the Celtic players and supporters need, to overcome a Livingston away day hoodoo that has goes back to 2006 – and it’s not sort of attitude Celtic will need, both in the changing room and in the stands, at the Tony Macaroni tomorrow lunchtime.
Writing in his Daily Record column today, Sutton believes the Celtic dressing room shouldn’t be bogged down by the unwanted record in West Lothian, instead they should be looking at the fixture as a chance to dish out a long overdue defeat to a team Celtic should have no fears of facing.
“The Livingston game is absolutely massive – and it’s about time Celtic won there. That’s how I would be going in to this one. I wouldn’t be in that Celtic dressing room worrying about winless runs or hoodoos. I’d be thinking this side are due one from us.”
And if the players are to have the mindset Livingston are ‘due one’ from Celtic, Sutton also thinks Celtic supporters need to exhibit a similar attitude on Sunday.
Sutton believes Celtic fans are already looking at the three-point lead they have at the top of the lead as a buffer against dropping points at Livi, something he thinks supporters wouldn’t consider for a moment if they were heading to Ibrox and as such shouldn’t for a visit to the Tony Macaroni either. Instead, Sutton thinks fans should be looking at burying this apparent hoodoo and kicking on still further in the title race.
‘David Martindale has done a superb job in the last couple of years and they are on a terrific run of form. So much so I actually believe Celtic fans expect to drop points there tomorrow.
“It’s almost a case of thinking it’s just as well there’s a buffer at the top of the table because the chances are there will be a slip up at Livi. They don’t even have that mentality going to Ibrox.
But they should be looking at it the other way. If Celtic can get three points and smash this hoodoo against their bogey side, it would be a heck of a result to tick off and a huge step towards the title.”
Sutton is right this is a fixture Celtic fans have had mentally circled in the calendar for some time, but in reality, it is mind over the matter at hand playing tricks on us all. Celtic are league leaders for a reason, for the majority of the season they have handled deep lying defences and emerging with the wins we need far more often than we haven’t.
A three-point lead at the top of the table indicates that with nine games left of the season the Hoops have handled every tactic utilised in the league better than any other side, yet there is just one more point to prove.
And whilst a win at Livingston would be met with an outpouring of relief by the Celtic support, as a long standing monkey off the back, it will also give the players and supporters a real injection of confidence and belief heading into the final games of the season, as well as deflating a rival club who will be looking to Livi for a title race favour tomorrow.
Ange Postecoglou’s side should have no inferiority complex visiting any ground in Scotland, and despite a poor record at Livingston that should go for a visit to the Tony Macaroni too. Instead as Chris Sutton alludes to, Celtic should approach this fixture as owing Livingston one – and what better time to deliver than tomorrow afternoon.
Niall J
