Celtic send Rangers warning with dominant Hibs showing as Aaron Mooy opens account

Sometimes it seems as if Celtic might never lose again. They rounded off 2022 in style with a dominant win after withstanding a strong opening from Hibs.

Aaron Mooy celebrates after putting Celtic 3-0 against Hibs at Easter Road. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Ange Postecoglou's side have lost just once this calendar year in the league. Of course, their next assignment will potentially be their greatest domestic test – the short trip to Ibrox to face a galvanised Rangers team. But there was little here to suggest that it’s only a matter of time until Celtic suffer a stumble, as some have been predicting.

The visitors were superb at a ground where many thought they might come to grief. Celtic had dropped points in eight of their previous ten visits to Easter Road. It did seem possible that their run of successive league wins might come to an end here when Hibs started with a burst of energy that suggested they had been feasting on Haribo treats since Christmas Day. It was, though, short lived.

A well-worked goal from Chris Cadden was chopped off for offside after just two minutes. Hibs also hit the post through Paul Hanlon, though that was after two goals in eight minutes had dampened the home fans’ festive ardour.

Aaron Mooy struck his first goal for the club and Daizen Maeda proved he is not letting up after his World Cup exploits with a stunning strike from 20 yards that arrowed into David Marshall's far corner ten minutes before half-time.

Hibs might point to a header from Kevin Nisbet that skiffed off his head and wide after Joe Newell’s excellent cross. It was the kind of chance the striker usually gobbles up. Moments later Celtic were three up.

It’s something of a surprise that Mooy has taken so long to open his account for Celtic. Although there was a delay as Lewis Stevenson’s handball 11 minutes after the interval was double checked with a possible offside also under review, Mooy did not have to wait too long to score his second for the club. The midfielder struck the penalty with a confidence that suggested there is no looking back for him now he is off the mark. A fine finish from Kyogo Furuhashi after 64 minutes following Reo Hatete’s through ball ornamented a 12th successive league victory for Celtic.

The visitors' thoughts were drifting towards Ibrox long before the end. Postecoglou had the luxury of making five changes in the second-half.

Hibs had hoped to build on a gratifying victory over Livingston at the weekend. Ryan Porteous started in midfield once more although this tactical quirk won’t be able to survive for a fourth successive match, against Hearts at Tynecastle on Monday. Not because Porteous was exceptionally poor – indeed, one searching ball to Chris Cadden in the first half had echoes of Andrea Pirlo. It’s just that he’s suspended after being booked against Rangers a fortnight ago.

Hibs head to Gorgie with their derby rivals perhaps smelling blood. This is the Easter Road side's eighth defeat in ten league games and while few home supporters might have expected much here, there was something dispiriting about the margin of defeat and the realisation that it could have been greater.

Only a fine one-handed save from David Marshall prevented Matt O’Riley stroking in a fifth.