JEREMIE FRIMPONG says there is no excuse for Celtic’s dismal performance against Livingston at the weekend, and that their players now face a huge test of character to avoid their season fizzling out.

The champions’ title defence is surely over already as their depleted side spilled yet more points in the goalless draw at Celtic Park on Saturday, but a crestfallen Frimpong refused to use the fact they were without 13 first-team players as a justification for their poor display.

“It just wasn’t good enough from us,” Frimpong said. “We didn’t get the result we were looking for. We had to win.

“All we can do is keep going now. Of course we should have had enough out there to produce a better performance. Although there were a lot of players missing, there were enough regulars out there. That’s no excuse.

“The team that’s picked has to go out and perform. But we just didn’t do that.

“I felt confident before the game that we’d produce the performance that would get us the result we needed but it didn’t work out like that. I can’t explain why.

“It’s been strange the past few days without the manager and John Kennedy being around as you work so closely with them.

“They’ve obviously got their messages through to us but obviously it’s just not the same as seeing them in person.

“As a footballer, you’ve got to deal with every situation. It is what it is. There is no point in complaining. It’s happened. We’ve just got to deal with it.

“There’s maybe a slight lack of confidence at the moment. That only comes if you are winning games and it will only return when we do that.”

Celtic will take on Livingston again away from home on Wednesday night, and Frimpong is hoping that a full-strength side can help them back to winning ways.

“It’s a good thing that we’ve got a game on Wednesday,” he said.

“We have to go there and win. It’s that simple.

“We should be helped by a number of players coming back which is a positive. Hopefully we can win.”