SUNDAY OCTOBER 1st
Premier League

Livingston 0

Celtic 5

0:1 McManus 36
0:2 Maloney 45
0:3 Zurawski 51
0:4 Sutton 62
0:5 Beattie 72

Att: 9,115

MIB: Mike McCurry

Celtic: Boruc Telfer Balde McManus Camara Maloney Petrov Sutton Nakamura Zurawski Beattie
subs
Hartson for Zurawski 81
Agathe for Beattie 85

Another comprehensive gubbing of SPL strugglers Livi left a pleasant glow in the hearts of the travelling support as Celtic eventually put together a performance of some merit. Strachan saw it as 'Total football', but surely he must be playing too much on his Nintendo? Joyful as it was to watch, Celtic were playing the bottom club, on a ground where they had notched up 17 goals in the past two seasons; let's not get carried away.

The main talking point at the start of this encounter was Hartson - this season's top scorer - being dropped to the bench. Beattie and Magic up front offered Strachan a much more mobile threat, with the magnificent Sutton in a fluid midfield, designed to slice open opponents rather than be bypassed by a long ball.

The tactical shenanigans paid off as Strachan's mark was stamped on the team. It was soon Tora tora tora!, when a Nakamura drive almost provided the opener. The ball was only batted away at the last moment by a trailing hand from the keeper, who was blinded by the rising sun in his eye (geddit!??!).

Before long Mc Manus had nodded in the first, followed by a sublime strike from Maloney for the second.

The 2-0 half time score line was only a taste of the bloodletting to follow. The second period saw goals from Magic, Sutton and Beattie as Livi were swamped by the Celtic attack. The home supporters (Sid and Doris Pleasant) flooded out in a state of shock ahortly afterwards. It would have been 7 or 8, but for some brave saves and near misses.

The waves of footballing refugees washing back into Edinburgh have clearly put the jitters up the Jambos, who now are only 3 points ahead after a draw away to Falkirk and travel to Celtic Park in a fortnight. Burley is rumoured to be readying the lifeboats as the SS Swynecastle sails into the eye of the storm, where a loud popping sound, like bursting bubbles, has been reported...