The Sweden star netted a brace after fans once again made their feelings about the hierarchy clear
17:09, 23 Aug 2025Updated 17:30, 23 Aug 2025
The Green Brigade message to the board was again loud and clear.
And for the first half it looked like the action on the park would speak volumes too for the gaps Brendan Rodgers is desperate to plug in the final week of the transfer window.
A second string Hoops side with eight changes made to the side that drew with Kairat Almaty huffed and puffed to break down a Livingston side for 45 minutes as the ultras fired out rounds of ‘sack the board’ and told chairman Peter Lawwell exactly where to go.
But the Hoops went through the gears after the break and Benjamin Nygren eased any nerves over dropped points with two fantastic goals after 47 and 71 minutes before sub Johnny Kenny settled matters with a third to ensure Celtic hit top spot and go seven points clear of Rangers.
Here are Record Sport’s five talking points from the clash at Parkhead.
Benjamin Nygren celebrates(Image: SNS Group)Benji on the wing
He was signed after an impressive season on the right flank for Nordsjaelland. And in his first start in that position for Celtic Benjamin Nygren was the Hoops’ most effective player with his direct running, dangerous crosses and crucial double. Nygren started and finished the move that broke the deadlock after 47 minutes.
Picking the ball up in his own half the Swedish international drove infield and fed Yang whose low effort was spilled by Jerome Prior right into the path of Nygren who followed in tap home. The Swede then pounced on a loose ball in the box and bent a brilliant finish high into the top corner to seal the points with 20 minutes to go. By that point he was back in his midfield role. But with a frontline creaking through injuries the 24-year-old could well be deployed on the flank in Almaty with Arne Engels available to take his slot in midfield.
Board games
Celtic fans held up banners aimed at the board(Image: SNS Group)
The Green Brigade followed up Tuesday’s attack on the Parkhead board with another round of pot shots as their team struggled to find a breakthrough. It took until the 13th minute for the first of three chants of ‘sack the board’ which was accompanied by a banner screaming ‘Zero ambition. Neglect team. Rinse fans. Basic board’. With the words world class scribbled out and replaced by Basic.
Ironically just as the chant and banner went up Celtic took the lead – or so they thought before Shin Yamada’s effort was ruled out for offside.
The vast majority of Parkhead left it to the ultras. But if the frontline isn’t strengthened with at least another two new signings then expect the toxicity levels to swell. Failure to win in Kazakhstan on Tuesday will see to that. At least almost 4000 miles away on the Chinese border the suits’ ears should get a rest.
Eight not great.. but enough
Celtic’s Johnny Kenny celebrates after scoring to make it 3-0 (Image: SNS Group)
Rodgers admitted his side looked lethargic in the first half of the goalless draw with Kairat. Eight changes were made to the side that drew with Kairat with skipper Callum McGregor taking a rare seat on the bench where he was joined by Cameron Carter-Vickers, Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Kieran Tierney. Injured trio Alistair Johnston, Austin Trusty and Adam Idah were also missing meaning a competitive debut for Hayato Inamura, a first start for Shin Yamada who linked well but had little end product, Dane Murray strolled it at centre half beside captain for the day Liam Scales while Paulo Bernardo struggling to impact from the middle in his first start since the Scottish Cup Final in midfield.
The rejigged Hoops went after Livi early on. But having seen a 13th minute Yamada goal rightly chalked off for offside the intensity dropped. before Jerome Prior was finally called into action after 35 minutes to touch Yamada’s header over. But Nygren’s opener followed by the introduction of McGregor and Maeda saw the Hoops ease to the points with Johnny Kenny netting his first Parkhead goal to round off a fine second half.
Shin the running?
Hoops fans got their first proper look at Shin Yamada through the middle with Adam Idah injured and Daizen Maeda rested. The Japanese frontman certainly shares the explosive work rate and pace of his compatriot and looks to have the chaos factor in his armoury.
An end product though? That remains a question mark. Yamada showed nice touches linking up. And he did tap home Engel’s cutback after 13 minutes only to be denied by the offside flag. But he lacked any composure when put through by Dane Murray just before the break and looked raw in front of goal.
Lions fail to roar
Livingston boss Davie Martindale(Image: SNS Group)
Livingston are still searching for a first ever victory at Parkhead after 22 attempts. Their record now reads 19 defeats and three draws and while the sat deep in a bid to frustrate the makeshift Hoops they failed to create any serious chances on the break.
On a positive they looked comfortable defending their box in the first half and Prior made an early contender for save of the season just before the break when he somehow got across goal to push Yang’s header onto the bar from point blank range.
Livi rallied after Nygren’s opener for a spell too. But they failed to seriously trouble Kasper Schmeichel and were comfortably beaten in the end.