The Home of the Set Fare Arena prepares for a festive showdown this Saturday as Livingston welcome Celtic in a vital Scottish Premiership encounter. Both teams enter this fixture seeking a turnaround in fortunes to brighten their December schedules.
The hosts are currently struggling at the foot of the table and are desperate to secure points to ignite a survival bid, while the visitors are navigating a transitional period under new management.
Livingston head into this clash following a disappointing 1-0 defeat away at St Mirren last Saturday, a result that extended their winless streak and highlighted their ongoing struggles in front of goal.
Conversely, Celtic are also enduring a difficult patch, having suffered a 2-1 loss against Dundee United in their most recent league outing. However, they return to winning ways following a 3-1 win over Aberdeen, with the win pushing them to second position in the table.
Read our Livingston vs Celtic predictions and preview to find out, but remember to also check our other Scottish Premiership predictions.
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Livingston vs Celtic prediction: Away to claim victory
Key statistics
- Celtic have won their last five clashes with Livingston.
- Three of their last five encounters have ended in a first-half draw.
- Four of their last five meetings have had over 2.5 goals scored.
Correct score prediction: Livingston 0-3 Celtic
The current quality gap between these two squads leads us to believe that the away side will dominate this contest. While Celtic have been inconsistent, we expect them to get a win over the home side in this encounter.
We expect that the pace of the Celtic attack will eventually break down the Livingston defence. Given that the home team has found goals hard to come by this season, we are predicting a comfortable 3-0 victory for the Glasgow side as they look to get their title charge back on track.
Pre-match odds and win probability: Celtic strong favourites
- Home: 6/1 (7.00) – 14.3%
- Draw: 19/5 (4.80) – 20.8%
- Away: 2/5 (1.40) – 71.4%
*Odds provided by Ladbrokes. Subject to change.*
The bookmakers heavily favour Celtic to take all three points, with odds of 1.40 implying a 71.4% chance of victory. Livingston are the underdogs at 7.00 (14.3%), while the draw is priced at 4.80 (20.8%), which shows we expect Celtic’s dominance despite the challenges of an away fixture.
Most recent head-to-head: A one-sided record
The recent history between these two clubs heavily sways towards the Glasgow giants, who have consistently outperformed their hosts. In the last five competitive meetings, the Hoops have secured five victories.
The most recent clash in 2025 ended in a convincing 3-0 win for the champions at Celtic Park. Before that, the sides met in 2024 at this very venue, where the visitors left with another 3-0 triumph thanks to a clinical second-half display.
Scotland Premiership 23/08/25
Celtic
Livingston
Scotland Premiership 31/03/24
Livingston
Celtic
Scotland FA Cup 10/03/24
Celtic
Livingston
Scotland Premiership 23/12/23
Celtic
Livingston
Scotland Premiership 23/09/23
Livingston
Celtic
After reviewing our key Livingston vs Celtic predictions, be sure to visit our website for the remaining football betting tips today.
Livingston preview: Defensive absences to manage
Livingston will be without key defensive options, as Cameron Kerr (muscle injury) and Shane Blaney (calf) are ruled out for this fixture. Their absence leaves gaps at the back that head coach David Martindale will need to address.
Midfield also suffers a blow, with Aidan Denholm sidelined by a hamstring issue, while Adam Montgomery remains unavailable, having missed the last eight games due to a calf injury sustained in October.
Predicted lineup: Prior (GK), Brenet, Wilson, Finlayson, Montano, Tait, Sylla, May, Pittman, Yengi & Bokila
Last five fixtures
- 20.12.25 – St. Mirren 1 – 0 Livingston (Premiership)
- 13.12.25 – Livingston 2 – 2 Dundee FC (Premiership)
- 06.12.25 – Motherwell 3 – 0 Livingston (Premiership)
- 30.11.25 – Livingston 0 – 1 Aberdeen (Premiership)
- 22.11.25 – Rangers 2 – 1 Livingston (Premiership)
Celtic preview: Key absentees continue to impact squad
Celtic face a selection headache as several key players remain sidelined. Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and forward Jota are all still unavailable due to long-term injuries, weakening the spine of the team.
Midfield and defence are further affected, with Callum Osmand out since sustaining an injury against Midtjylland in November and Marcelo Saracchi recovering from a hamstring problem.
The attack could also be disrupted, as Kelechi Iheanacho has missed the last two matches and is doubtful for this weekend’s fixture. Additionally, Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Sebastian Tounekti are away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations with Congo DR and Tunisia.
Predicted lineup: Schmeichel (GK), Ralston, Trusty, Tierney, Yang, McGregor, Engels, McCowan, Nygren, Maeda & Kenny
Last five fixtures
- 21.12.25 – Celtic 3 – 1 Aberdeen (Premiership)
- 17.12.25 – Dundee Utd 2 – 1 Celtic (Premiership)
- 14.12.25 – St. Mirren 3 – 1 Celtic (League Cup)
- 11.12.25 – Celtic 0 – 3 AS Roma (Europa League)
- 07.12.25 – Celtic 1 – 2 Hearts (Premiership)
Player to watch: Daizen Maeda
Daizen Maeda is the primary threat for the visitors and enters this game as their most productive attacking player this season. The Japanese forward has registered six goals and four assists this season.
He consistently puts defenders under pressure and will be crucial for the Glasgow side to break the deadlock on Saturday. If the Hoops are to find success at the Set Fare Arena, they will need their star winger to be at his best.