Celtic made the short trip across Glasgow to take on Partick Thistle in the Scottish Premiership with Brendan Rodgers and his charges looking to register their second win of the new season.
Following a dominant display in the opening period, Celtic eventually took the lead through a memorable strike from Olivier Ntcham in order to take a 1-0 advantage into the break.
Thistle might have snatched a point late on but for a controversial refereeing decision that saw the hosts denied a questionable penalty, leaving the Hoops to walk away with all three points.
Relive all of the action from the contest with our minute-by-minute updates below.
Good evening everyone and thank you for joining us as we bring you live coverage of Partick Thistle's Scottish Premiership clash with local rivals Celtic.
Brendan Rodgers and his charges are making the short trip across to Firhill Stadium, where the Hoops will be hoping to make it two wins from two at the start of the new season.
As for Thistle, Alan Archibald and company have been unable to prevent Celtic from winning 14 times in a row in Maryhill. Partick have never actually beaten beaten Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, having lost all but one of their 19 previous meetings.
Thistle were unable to get anything out of their away trip against Hibernian on the opening day having lost 3-1 on the road. Archibald will be hoping that the recent additions of both Miles Storey and Conor Sammon will help to shore up his squad during the new campaign.
Right time for some team news now...
PARTICK THISTLE STARTING XI: Cerny; Elliott, Keown, Turnbull, Booth, Barton, Bannigan, Lawless, Edwards, Sammon, Doolan
PARTICK THISTLE SUBSTITUTES: Erskine, Scully, Nitriansky, Nisbet, Penrice, McCarthy, Storey
CELTIC STARTING XI: Gordon; Lustig, Bitton, Simunovic, Tierney, Brown, Ntcham, Hayes, McGregor, Sinclair, Forrest
CELTIC SUBSTITUTES: Griffiths, Armstrong, Rogic, de Vries, Benyu, Ajer, Ralston
So the main news for Celtic is that they have been able to recall a number of senior players this evening, including skipper Scott Brown. The Hoops are almost at full strength here ignoring the absences of Erik Sviatchenko, Dedryck Boyata and Moussa Dembele. The visitors have opted to for a rather sharp frontline that includes James Forrest and Scott Sinclair.
The hosts have some rather promising news too in that Sammon has been handed his debut after his paperwork has cleared in time to feature here. Storey will also be hoping to make some kind of impact tonight as he finds himself on the bench. Another upturn has also seen Kris Doolan earn a starting spot up top despite the frontman looking likely to miss out through a recent hamstring strain. Winger Blair Spittal has not quite been able to prove his fitness, however, and he finds himself out of the matchday squad.
Celtic will be hoping to continue a run this evening that has seen the club undefeated in 50 games against a Scottish team. Last season Thistle conceded nine goals in two home games against the champions. Partick are, however, one of just four teams alongside Inverness Caley Thistle, Rangers and Ross County, to have earned a point off Celtic with Brendan Rodgers at the helm of the club.
Celtic's away record has been rather formidable of late too. The Hoops have dropped only two points on their travels this year following a 2-2 draw with Ross County earlier in April. Going back through history, Celtic have not dropped points in their first away match of the season since 2012 when they drew with County that day too.
Last time these sides met, Celtic ran out 5-0 victors in the league. Thistle midfielder Adam Barton remembers that day well. Here is what he has had to say to reporters ahead of this contest:
"They have probably done that to every team in the league and we were the next team to get it. That's the thing, if you can spend that type of money and other teams can't, what do people expect? It is unfair but it is what it is and you have got to get on with it. I had never played against a team who basically expected to go out and win every single game by four or five."
PREDICTION: Just a few minutes to go now until kickoff and it is time to make a prediction. Celtic have returned to a full-length line-up here after their midweek cup exploits and you would expect them to get the job done tonight. I'm backing the Hoops for a 3-0 away win at Firhill.
KICKOFF! Here we go then, Thistle get us moving in red and yellow, while Celtic feature in their usual green and white...
It's not the tidiest of starts for the hosts who already lose possession and Celtic break forward at pace. Sinclair is able to win a free kick 40 yards out from goal, but instead of throwing something into the box, the visitors aim to move the ball quickly across the deck. A smooth opening for the Hoops...
An early reminder of the pace of Hayes as the Celtic wide man breaks down the right flank and is able to get a cross into the box. Luckily for Partick, the ball is a little behind Sinclair and Keown hoofs clear.
And now the presence moves down the left flank, this time as Tierney breaks from left-back in order to beat two men and turn a ball into the middle. The cross doesn't quite have the required quality and Thistle can swipe clear once more.
Tierney shows more great promise down that left channel again as he has the beating of his marker before winning a corner. Sinclair's ball into the middle looks to be dropping for Forrest, but Elliot is able to head away at the back-post.
SAVE! Wonderful stuff from the Hoops now as Sinclair wriggles free inside the area, allowing him to cut a ball back into the middle for Forrest. The playmaker has his back to goal but is able to spin his marker and turn away a shot down low. Somehow Cerny manages to get a hand to it and prevents what would have been a standout opening goal for the visitors.
CHANCE! Celtic show some impressive industry in the middle to rob the ball and spring away on the counter. Possession is eventually slipped into the path of Forrest who pulls away from his marker, only to snatch at his shot and drag an effort wide of the far-post.
The Hoops have started brightly here and look strong favourites already. Rodgers and his press has looked effective thus far with Thistle already ushered into a few unnecessary mistakes in possession.
All green and white at the moment. Thistle drop way too deep and allow Tierney with time on the ball. The full-back attempts a cheap flick in behind the defence, although Partick have it covered and are able to clear their lines unchallenged.
Thistle have offered very little in these opening exchanges with Celtic dominating the midfield exchanges as things stand. The home side need to move themselves up the pitch if they want to prevent what could be a Hoops landslide.
SAVE! More Celtic pressure sees the visitors win a free kick just short of the Thistle box, allowing Bitton to bend a remarkable effort up and over the wall towards the top corner, where Cerny moves across to pad the ball away from danger. Almost for the visitors!
GOAL! PARTICK THISTLE 0-1 CELTIC (OLIVIER NTCHAM)
There we have it, and it is no more than the visitors deserve really... From the resulting attack Celtic win a corner and the delivery into the box is headed out towards Ntcham on the edge of the Thistle area. The midfielder lets the ball drop before crunching a wonderful volley towards goal. It might well have taken a slight deflection off of someone inside the box, but Cerny is left well-beaten and Celtic have a lead.
Rodgers and company are not looking like stopping here either. Forrest shows some spirited footwork now to try and get the better of Keown inside the area, but the centre-back stands firm before putting in a perfectly-timed slide in order to see away the danger.
Almost a second for Celtic, but for some good defending from the hosts. Ntcham slips in an inch-perfect ball for Tierney, who makes light work of Elliott on the flank. The full-back picks out a cross into the middle for Forrest, although Booth gets up to head clear.
Thistle are clinging on slightly now as Celtic move forward with real vigour. Hayes has possession on the left channel and turns a smart ball into the middle, but this time Elliot positions himself well and can clear before the pass reaches Sinclair.
Terrible play from Partick in the middle sees the hosts give up possession to Hayes. The break comes quickly as the ball is threaded between three Celtic men before reaching Hayes again on the edge of the box. The midfielder looks for the target from range, leaving Cerny to make a decent save down low. The visitors might have done a little better there, really...
Thistle should really be making better use of Sammon up top. The frontman provides a strong target for the home side, but they are yet to pick him out on one occasion. The hosts' new signing might just be able to take some of the pressure of if he's given something to fight for in attack.
HALF TIME: PARTICK THISTLE 0-1 CELTIC
Does this feel a tad familiar to anyone, Celtic in total control in the Scottish Premiership... The Hoops have played well in the opening period and are deserving of their lead. Ntcham's first goal for the club separates the two sides at the break and Thistle have a lot of work to do if they want to find a route back into this contest.
Not only have Celtic dominated in possessions, the visitors have also been industrious in their pressing in order to force Thistle into mistakes on the ball. The wings have also been problematic for the hosts, who have seen Elliot really struggle up against Tierney on Celtic's left.
So what does Archibald do in the second half? For a start Thistle could maybe make use of Sammon a little more. The frontman could definitely proved some much-needed hold-up play if given the ball. That might allow the home side to push up the pitch and prevent them from sitting so troublesomely deep.
Having said that, there is only one goal in this at the moment and it could only take some slight fortune from a set-piece to bring the home side back into the game. Rodgers and his men do look comfy, though...
KICKOFF! Celtic get us moving again in the second half. The visitors will be hoping for more of the same here...
Bitton shows some clinical passing in the early stages of the second period with a lofted ball in for the run of Sinclair. Cerny is equal to it, though, leaving the keeper to come out and claim the loose ball on the edge of his box.
Thistle's Elliot has had his back to the wall for much of this contest, but the full-back is given room to roam for the first time. The full-back finds space on the right before cutting inside, although his wild shot sails high and wide without troubling Gordon.
CLOSE! Tierney has had the better of his markers all evening and the full-back does brilliantly once more to drive beyond the defence. The youngster takes aim from just inside the box, but his driven effort flashes across the face of goal and wide at the back-post.
CHANCE! Oh my word... Thistle should be level and what a miss this is from the usually composed Doolan. Elliot swings in a promising ball from the right channel, leaving Doolan to break free from Bitton and meet the ball unchallenged in the middle of the box. The frontman only has to nod it past Gordon, but instead he can only head over the crossbar.
That chance just goes to show how fragile one-goal leads can be, but Thistle will not get many chances like that tonight and they need to take them once they arrive.
Celtic are aiming to take the sting out of proceedings at the moment by keeping possession at the back. The ball is eventually worked up the pitch into path of Ntcham who tries to find the run of Forrest, only for Keown to step in at the vital moment.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Are Celtic trying to put this game to bed now? Tom Rogic comes on to replace McGregor, while Hayes jogs off to be swapped for Leigh Griffiths.
CHANCE! Rogic and Griffiths almost combine for a near-perfect, counter-attacking move. Celtic move away on the break through Griffiths down the right, who eventually drills a delivery across the box for the run of Rogic. Luckily for Thistle, Turnbull is there to make a vital sliding challenge.
Those changes seem to have upped the tempo within the Celtic ranks. This time the ball is moved swiftly on the edge of the Thistle box before reaching the feet of Forrest. The midfielder winds up a shot from distance, but his effort is wayward and ends up somewhere near the corner flag.
ALMOST! Nearly the second goal that Celtic have craved for all of this half. Griffiths turns in a smart corner towards the near post, leaving Simunovic to leap highest and head towards the far corner. It looks to be looping in, only for the man on the line to head away with a goal looking certain.
Surely it is time for Thistle to start committing a few more men forward? It is either that or they will be out of the game soon...
Finally Sammon finds something to cling onto and for the first time tonight Thistle look like threading something together from open play. It doesn't take too long for the move to falter, though, as the resulting forward pass is wayward and the hosts lose possession. The big frontman looks baffled at this teammates.
The game is starting to really stretch now as Thistle leave a few men forward. Rogic exploits the layout with a pounding run down the left, leaving the substitute to thunder an effort straight into the side of the Partick net.
CLOSE! A teasing corner into the box soon finds the ball pin-balling around the area until it clashes into Sammon. It looks like the ball might just creep over the line, only for a retreating defender to squeeze the ball away.
About six minutes to go now at Firhill, do we have a surprise in-store at all? Can Thistle find that one set-piece that might make the difference? Celtic have arguably looked the more likely to score though, especially following the introduction of both Rogic and Griffiths.
Standout work from Forrest now as he chases down the defender in order to earn an important corner for the visitors heading into the final few minutes. For some reason, and much to the dismay of the Celtic players, the decision is soon overturned and Thistle escape with a goal kick... Perplexing to say the least!
Brown gives away a needless corner after a heavy touch, presenting Thistle with the chance to thrown some danger into the box. The cross is a promising one as it swirls towards the back-post, although Lustig tracks well and sees the ball out for a goal kick.
ALMOST! Confusion reigns inside the Celtic box as Bitton almost gives away possession with Gordon caught out off line. The centre-back seems like he brings down his man in the ensuing melee too. The visitors may just have got away with conceding a penalty kick there!
FULL TIME: PARTICK THISTLE 0-1 CELTIC
What an end to that game... Thistle have every right to feel aggrieved too. Bitton surely had to be penalised for that late tackle. The visitors get away with it though and that brings them to their 15th straight win in Maryhill. Thank you for joining us tonight, that is going to be all from me for now!
Written by
Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
