Kenny and Nygren on mark as Celtic wear down Livingston

Benjamin Nygren's second-half double helped much-changed Celtic to a 3-0 win over Livingston as supporters again demonstrated anti-board sentiments.

Frustrated by perceived transfer inactivity in recent weeks, fans chanted 'sack the board’ during and after the goalless draw against Kairat Almaty in the first leg of the Champions League play-off at Parkhead on Wednesday night.

In the 13th minute of a goalless first half against Livi, the ultras-style fans group Green Brigade launched into the first of several ‘sack the board’ chants and held up banners which read ‘zero ambition’, ‘neglect team’, ‘rinse fans’ and ‘basic board’, albeit there seemed little vocal backing from the rest of the ground.

Livingston goalkeeper Jerome Prior had made a sensational save from Yang Hyun-jun just before the interval but was beaten by Nygren two minutes after the restart. The Hoops winger fired in a second in the 71st minute before Irish substitute Johnny Kenny added a third five minutes later.

Having taken nine William Hill Premiership points from nine, Celtic moved seven points clear of Rangers and put more pressure on their Old Firm rivals who travel to St Mirren on Sunday, but Europe is at the forefront for Brendan Rodgers.

Celtic face a 7,000-mile round trip for the second leg against Kairat on Tuesday where the winners can bank on €46m for reaching the league phase of European football’s elite club competition.

Benjamin Nygren broke the deadlock for the hosts

With one eye on Kazakhstan, Rodgers rang the changes, with only goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, Republic of Ireland defender Liam Scales – named captain – and Nygren remaining.

There was a debut for Japanese left-back Hayato Inamura and a first start for his compatriot Shin Yamada.

Just as the Green Brigade made their feelings about the board known, Yamada knocked a cross from Arne Engels past Prior but the Belgium midfielder was confirmed offside after a VAR check.

Livi attacker Stevie May replaced the injured Shane Blaney in the 28th minute and boss David Martindale reshuffled his side, but the emphasis remained resolutely on defence.

Seven minutes later, Prior tipped Yamada’s looping header from an Inamura cross over the bar for a corner which came to nothing and then a Yamada shot beat the Livingston keeper only for Daniel Finlayson to clear off the line.

Prior made a fabulous save in added time, somehow pushing Yang’s powerful header from point-blank range onto the bar, with Livi scrambling the ball to safety and more ‘sack the board’ chants were heard before half-time.

Celtic Park relaxed somewhat early in the second half when Prior spilled a right-footed drive from Yang straight to Nygren who tapped into the empty net.

In the 58th minute, Rodgers brought on captain Callum McGregor, James Forrest and Daizen Maeda for Luke McCowan, Yamada and Paulo Bernardo.

Prior thwarted Nygren when he broke through but the Sweden forward made no mistake when the keeper pushed away a cross from Engels, firing high into the net via the woodwork from 14 yards.

Five minutes later, Maeda set up Kenny, on for Yang, to knock in a third which gave the scoreline solidity – and in the 79th minute 18-year-old Colby Donovan came on for Ralston to make his debut – but the rift between fans and board carries on in the background.

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