Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has heaped praise on Benjamin Nygren after the Swedish midfielder's double inspired a character-filled 4-2 comeback victory away at Livingston on Saturday.
Nygren Shines in Frantic Encounter
The visitors showed immense resilience at the Tony Macaroni Arena, fighting back from going behind twice within a frantic opening eight minutes. Livingston's Cristian Montano struck early to twice put the home side ahead, but Celtic responded on each occasion.
It was summer signing Nygren, arriving from FC Nordsjaelland, who stole the show with two fine first-half finishes. His contributions took his season's tally to an impressive 10 goals in all competitions. Further strikes from Yang Hyun-jun and Arne Engels sealed the three points for the reigning champions in West Lothian.
Nancy's Long-Term Admiration for Nygren
Post-match, Nancy revealed a long-standing interest in the 22-year-old Swede, confessing he had attempted to sign him during his tenure at MLS side Columbus Crew. "I wanted to have him," said the French coach. "I know him really well, I know what he can do. I think he has big potential and he hasn't reached it yet."
Nancy elaborated on Nygren's qualities, stating: "He is not a dribbler, but has the ability to make the runs for his team-mates with the technique that he has. He knows he has to be stronger, he has to believe a bit more in himself. I like what I’ve seen so far, but I will challenge him."
Building Momentum and Defensive Debates
The result marks back-to-back victories for Nancy after a difficult start that saw him lose his first four games in charge. He believes his squad is beginning to grasp his tactical philosophy. "It has been only two weeks together but step by step I think they are starting to understand what I want," Nancy observed, praising his team's competitive spirit in coming from behind.
Despite the win, the match was not without controversy. Livingston boss David Martindale was left frustrated by referee Matthew MacDermid's decision to award Celtic a penalty just before half-time, when the ball struck defender Daniel Finlayson's arm. Martindale felt a nudge from Daizen Maeda made the incident unavoidable, calling it a "really soft penalty."
With this vital away win, Celtic have closed the gap at the Premiership summit, now sitting just three points behind leaders Hearts with a game in hand. Nancy, however, remains focused internally, insisting his sole concern is the continuous improvement of his own team.
