Efe Ambrose has dismissed suggestions his former club will be weak or vulnerable when he and his Livingston team-mates travel to Celtic Park.
Celtic will be without 13 self-isolating players, plus manager Neil Lennon and his assistant, John Kennedy, as David Martindale’s Livi seek a club record-equalling ninth consecutive win on Saturday.
Players such as Kristoffer Ajer, Scott Brown, Ryan Christie and Odsonne Edouard were missing as Celtic drew 1-1 with Hibernian on Monday with no recognised striker in their ranks.
But Ambrose, who made almost 170 appearances in five years at Parkhead, said: “Celtic are Celtic, no matter what is going on around Celtic Park right now. We are still playing Celtic, no matter who is putting on the green and white.
“The most important thing is we know we are going to play Celtic. What is in our mind is to go there and keep the momentum going and play a good game.
“There is no weak Celtic because I have been there and I know that every player merits being there.
“They are not vulnerable. You saw what happened in Monday’s game against Hibs, they are still Celtic, no matter what you think.
“So we are not going to look at them as a weak Celtic, we are going to look at them as if we are playing their first 11, because that is the mentality. When you look at their weak side you never know what is going to happen.
“They have the depth in the squad and everyone is up to it and they know what is going on around them and the title is at stake, so every game they play now is like a cup final to them.
“As it is for us. We want to finish in the top six, which is paramount for us, and do better than last season. The gaffer has put that in our mindset and for every player to get the best out of this season, to get another good result and then kick on again.”
Livi missed out on the chance to seal a ninth victory under Martindale on Wednesday when their home game against Aberdeen was postponed amid heavy rain.
Ambrose gave an insight into the impact the former assistant has had since making a remarkable impact in his first months in the job.
“The most important thing is the winning mentality, the togetherness in this squad is massive, the pace and everything he has put into the squad, the work, the love he has put into the team is massive for us right now,” the Nigeria international said.
“Above that we are more united and more together and I think we work as a team and as a unit.
“He has put so much into the squad right now that you can see, the players are showing it on the pitch.”
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