'What you dream of' - Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scores stunning stoppage-time winner on Celtic debut

Oxlade-Chamberlain wasted no time in endearing himself to the Parkhead faithful, producing a moment of pure quality to snatch three points from the jaws of a frustrating draw. Introduced as a 78th-minute substitute for his first competitive appearance since last May, the 32-year-old had only 14 touches of the ball, but one of them proved decisive.

Celtic, the defending champions, looked set to drop critical points against the division's bottom club. They had been thwarted repeatedly by an inspired performance from Livingston goalkeeper Jerome Prior, who made nine saves to keep the scores level. However, deep into stoppage time, Oxlade-Chamberlain whipped home a stunning finish to secure a 2-1 win.

The goal did more than just spare Celtic's blushes; it significantly altered the complexion of the Premiership title race. With Rangers stumbling to a 1-1 draw at Motherwell, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s strike moves Martin O'Neill’s side within a point of their Glasgow rivals in second and narrows the gap to league leaders Hearts to just six points, with the Hoops still holding a game in hand over both.

For Oxlade-Chamberlain, the goal was a vindication of his belief that he still belongs at the top level. The midfielder had been without a club since being released by Turkish giants Besiktas last year and admitted that finding a new home had been a challenge due to the sport's obsession with youth.

"It's been difficult. Sometimes the way things go in football, especially when you cross that 30-years-of-age barrier, you're not as valuable as you once were in a business sense," he told reporters after the match. "I knew I still had a lot to give and training every day for the last three months where I was training gave me the confidence that I can still offer a lot to the game."

He was also quick to pay tribute to his former club Arsenal, who allowed him to train at London Colney during the winter months to stay sharp. "I have to say a big thank you to everyone at Arsenal, giving me the chance to keep my fitness up," he added. "When you get those opportunities, you want to be able to pay back with moments of quality like that."

Celtic manager O'Neill, who remains unbeaten in domestic competition across both his spells in charge this season, was effusive in his praise for the new arrival. The Northern Irishman acknowledged that his team were staring down the barrel of a damaging result until the veteran's intervention.

"We didn't look like we were going to get any reward at all and Alex scores this brilliant goal," O'Neill said. "When it left his foot, I could see it going in and that was a real delight. He's been a really fine player in his career, an excellent career. It's just a matter of him getting up to speed and I think that will come. He's naturally fit and hopefully he will be a big asset to us. "He had a choice of a lot of teams. He's decided to come up here and help us out. He's done more than that, he's got us three points on the board."

While the allure of a title race was strong, Oxlade-Chamberlain revealed that a family connection also played a pivotal role in his decision to move north. His father, former England international Mark Chamberlain, was instrumental in ensuring he didn't hesitate when the offer arrived.

"It's an amazing opportunity. When it came up, I didn't doubt it for one second," the midfielder explained. "My dad's from an era where this club means a lot. He was straight away telling me 'I'll get you in the car and drive you up there myself'. It's a great start, but I know there's a lot more to it than 13 minutes."

With the gap to the top closing and momentum shifting back in their favour, Celtic will be hoping their new No.15 has plenty more moments of magic left in his locker between now and May. "Tonight is a great start for me, but more importantly keeps our goals alive and keeps us going in the right direction," he concluded.