'Here we go, 10 in a row': Celtic swagger into Rangers clash as Fir Park updates add to procession

Only complacency or an unlikely capitulation can stop Celtic now. The champions-elect rounded off a stellar year with another comprehensive and straightforward victory – this time over a beleaguered St Johnstone side - to move 14 points clear at the top of the Premiership table.

It is not a great look for the rest of Scottish football to have the championship all but settled before the Hogmanay celebrations have begun but that is not Celtic’s problem as they reach the end of the year having lost only once in the league, to Hearts back in March.

They had to be patient again here but once the deadlock was broken by Nicolas Kuhn after half an hour it was only a matter of how many. They eventually settled for a second successive 4-0 victory, Kyogo Furuhashi plundering a double and Daizen Maeda claiming the fourth in what was as one-sided an encounter as widely predicted beforehand.

Celtic will now cross the city for Thursday’s derby with a swagger in their step, eager to again put a demoralised Rangers in their place and perhaps push Philippe Clement closer to the exit door in the process.

Daizen Maeda nets in a straightforward 4-0 win over St Johnstone. | SNS Group

Updates from Fir Park contributed substantially to the feelgood factor during the first half here. Celtic and Rangers don’t play at the same time that often but the schadenfreude was ramped up to the max on this occasion as news quickly circulated that their rivals were one and then two down to Motherwell.

“Here we go, 10 in a row,” sang the jubilant Celtic supporters as their team took another step towards a fourth successive championship and with the resources and squad depth to go on to accumulate several more titles on top of that. The triple substitution made in the second half – bringing on Callum McGregor, Adam Idah and Maeda – served to underline Celtic’s strength in depth. Scotland, once famed for its football duopoly, has undoubtedly become a one-team state.

They had to take care of their own business, too, and duly did so after eventually shattering St Johnstone’s early resistance. Bottom of the table and toiling, the Perth side made no secret of their intentions as they camped in and challenged their hosts to break them down. Just as in the Boxing Day bash with Motherwell, the goals did not come early although it was not due to the lack of trying.

Alistair Johnston and Kuhn, in particular, were wreaking havoc down Celtic’s right flank, with Arne Engels also lively as he shot into the side netting then saw a brace of goalbound bashes well saved by Josh Rae who had a busy afternoon in goals.

It would have been an incredible effort if St Johnstone could have held Celtic at bay in such a fashion for 90 minutes but instead it took just 30 for the dam to be broken. Ironically, the move stemmed from a rare St Johnstone foray forward, Nicky Clark dispossessed and Celtic quickly countering at pace.

On it went from Reo Hatate to Kuhn who cut inside before thumping in a left-foot shot for his 14th goal of a very productive season. Holding on to the mazy dribbling German might be the best bit of business Celtic do in the forthcoming transfer window.

It was as comfortable a first half as Celtic could have hoped for, even if their superiority by that stage wasn’t reflected on the scoreboard. St Johnstone were still in with a puncher’s chance and made a half-time triple change to try to gain a foothold in the contest.

Celtic are in excellent form. | SNS Group

Before they could settle into their new shape, however, the visitors conceded a second and then a third in quick concession to extinguish their last flickering flame. Both were claimed by Furuhashi who had touched the ball just four times in the first half but needed only two to add another brace to his burgeoning tally.

Hatate had a role in the first, clipping a ball over the top for Paulo Bernardo who saw his volley saved by Rae who looked up to see Furuhashi diving to head in the rebound.

St Johnstone knew then that their race was run and Celtic made sure with a third just a few minutes later. Engels curled in an enticing ball from the right and Furuhashi ghosted into position to side foot his finish beyond the goalkeeper.

There was still more pain for the visitors to endure as Maeda made it 4-0 with a neat finish after being played in by Bernardo.