Celtic lastly broke their Livingston hoodoo as they picked up their first win in six makes an attempt in West Lothian with a composed efficiency in opposition to the Lions.
Daizen Maeda opened the scoring the guests 17 minutes in after skipper Callum McGregor had missed a spot-kick moments earlier. The Japanese striker fired dwelling from shut vary after Max Stryjek had produced a superb save to disclaim Carl Starfelt though Livi can really feel aggrieved that the corner-kick that resulted within the opener should not have been given.
Celtic predictably managed a lot of the play however Livi nearly levelled issues up earlier than the break when Ayo Obileye's header clattered off the bar.
The guests would double their lead lower than 30 seconds after the break when Nicky Devlin diverted a harmful cross into his personal web with James Forrest successfully placing the sport to mattress a couple of minutes later when he discovered the far nook after being performed by means of by Jota.
Livi answered again instantly when Andrew Shinnie prodded the ball over the road however there was no signal of a Livi comeback as Ange Postecoglou's males opened up a 3 level lead on the prime of the desk.
Having picked the identical beginning line-up for 4 consecutive matches, Livi boss David Martindale made one change for this conflict with prime scorer Bruce Anderson making manner from Shinnie who netted the winner the final time the 2 groups met in West Lothian.
And it was the hosts who had the sport's first real probability as Joe Hart produced a advantageous save to disclaim Obileye after the centre-back received on the top of an Alan Forrest corner-kick on the again submit seven minutes into the competition.
The sport shortly descended into the predictable sample of the guests having loads of the ball they usually nearly made that rely on quarter-hour after they have been awarded a penalty for an handball from Jack Fitzwater.
They handed up that chance as McGregor's effort clattered again off the submit however they'd get themselves in entrance two minutes later when a debatable corner-kick resolution resulted in Maeda nodding dwelling from shut vary after Stryjek had produced an incredible diving save to thwart Starfelt.
The Hoops would proceed to play some first rate stuff in and across the Livi field with out changing that into real possibilities with Tom Rogic and Anthony Ralston entering into first rate positions with out threatening so as to add to the scoring.
The Lions went agonisingly near levelling issues up as the primary half ticked into injury-time as Obileye rose the very best from a Forrest free-kick however his fierce header crashed again off the crossbar.
Having had the possibility to reset on the break, the very last thing Martindale would have wished is for his aspect to fall additional behind nearly immediately however that is exactly what occurred. The Celts had a right away overlap down their proper with Ralston's harmful cross being diverted into his personal web by Devlin.
Good goalkeeping from Stryjek denied Rogic from including a 3rd a couple of minutes later with the Polish stopper racing from his aim to thwart the Aussie.
They would not have to attend too lengthy to seek out that third aim, although, as Jota's defence-splitting cross on 54 minutes despatched Forrest clear and he expertly fired throughout Stryjek and into the far nook.
This Livi aspect is not one to roll over and settle for defeat, nonetheless, they usually gave themselves a lifeline two minutes later when Shinnie bundled the ball over the road from shut vary after Devlin's throw-in had been flicked on on the close to submit.
Martindale launched Anderson on the hour mark nevertheless it was nonetheless the case that the guests have been the dominant aspect they usually might have put the sport firmly to mattress on 68 minutes when a swift counter-attack noticed Maeda introduced with a wonderful alternative six yards out however Stryjek saved his aspect within the sport with an instinctive save along with his legs.
The keeper was at it once more moments later to disclaim substitute Liel Abada as Ange Postecoglou's males charged ahead in search of a fourth that would not arrive.
Livingston: Stryjek; Devlin, Obileye, Fitzwater, Penrice; Pittman (Sibbald 75), Holt, Omeonga (Anderson 60); Nouble (Soto 70), Shinnie (Kelly 70), Forrest. Subs not used: Konovalov, Longridge, Montano, Boyes, Lewis.
Aim: Shinnie (56)
Celtic: Hart; Ralston, Starfelt, Carter-Vickers, Taylor; Bitton, McGregor (Hatate 83), Rogic (O'Riley 74); Forrest (Abada 74), Maeda (Giakoumakis 74), Jota. Subs not used: Bain, McCarthy, Ideguchi, Welsh, Juranovic.
Objectives: Maeda (17), Devlin (46 og), Forrest (54)