Celtic Park is not the place where Livingston, six points adrift of Kilmarnock at the bottom and winless in 23 league games since August – the longest run of any side in the top flight in the 21st century – will be expected to earn their first points since Marvin Bartley was promoted to head coach with David Martindale moving upstairs.
Especially when opposition boss Martin O’Neill will be marking his 200th game in charge of the Glasgow side – the sixth to reach that milestone.
The Northern Irishman has already reached it with more wins than anyone else – his 164 being 10 better than Neil Lennon achieved – and Celtic will be strong favourites to add to that on Wednesday.
Celtic remain unbeaten in eight games since the 73-year-old, already a club legend, was put in interim charge for a second spell this season, this time until the summer, after Wilfried Nancy’s dismal short reign.
Six of those have been victories – four of them at home – and although they remain six points behind leaders Hearts, Celtic now have a game in hand.
O’Neill’s side are involved in a three-horse race for the title, with improving city rivals Rangers now ahead in second.
However, while still looking vulnerable at the back, Celtic look to have resolved the missing link up front.
January signings Tomas Cvancara, the Czech Republic striker on loan from Borussia Monchengladbach, and Switzerland’s Junior Adamu, on loan from Freiburg, have already hit the goal trail.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Kelechi Iheanacho is close to a return from injury and their latest arrival, former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, also adds to their firepower.
The old never-say-die Celtic attitude was also back on display on Saturday as Adamu’s stoppage-time equaliser denied Dundee a famous cup victory in Glasgow.
O’Neill will therefore be expected to mark that 200th game in charge in style against a side against whom they are unbeaten in 22 home games, winning 19 of them, and having won the latest 10 by an aggregate of 30-6 since a 0-0 stalemate in October 2021.
