Ryan Christie was sent off as Neil Lennon’s Scottish Premiership champions Celtic suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Gary Holt’s Livi.
Livingston manager Gary Holt has admitted he was ‘over the moon’ after masterminding a shock win against Scottish Premiership champions Celtic on Sunday, speaking to the Scottish Sun, but he surprisingly defended Ryan Christie after his shocking red-card challenge.
Neil Lennon’s side lost their place at the top of the league just days after producing arguably their best performance of the season in a Europa League revenge mission against Cluj at Parkhead.
The Tony Macaroni Arena was the stage for Celtic’s first domestic defeat of the season as the unstoppable Lyndon Dykes scored the clincher and bullied £7 million Christopher Jullien on Livingston’s infamous plastic pitch.
And Holt was thrilled by a result which has blown the Premiership title race wide open.
“We did it last year we the points we got and the clean sheets and the goals we scored. It’s another tick in the box. I’m over the moon,” the manager said.
“I told them, ‘Go toe to toe with your opposite number, look them in the eye and say you’re going to be in a battle today, you’re going to be in a fight, do you want it’.
Celtic certainly weren’t helped by a rash red card for Christie, The Hoops’ most creative midfielder, who flew into a studs-up challenge in the first half. An early bath was the only result though Holt was in no mood to hang Christie out to dry after the game.
“I haven’t seen it back but I think it’s just mistimed,” he added, in quotes reported by The Scotsman. “I don’t think it was malicious. Back in my day it’s a great challenge!”
For the first time in seven years, a title race appears to be on the cards. Rangers’ 5-0 battering of Hamilton, thanks to a Jermain Defoe hat-trick, was ruthless and should strike fear into the heart of Celtic fans everywhere.
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