A blistering first-half performance saw Celtic back to their best as they eased to a 5-1 victory over Kilmarnock to remain on the brink of another Scottish Premiership title.
Brendan Rodgers made no secret of his anger after defeat to St Johnstone left them unable to wrap up the title in front of their home fans, but Reo Hatate had Parkhead bouncing with his stunning opener.
Daizen Maeda tapped home another just two minutes after that 25-yard strike, with Cameron Carter-Vickers unleashing a powerful shot from distance to put them three up.
Reo Hatate gives Celtic the lead with an incredible long-range effort
Hatate made it 4-0 after 24 minutes before Danny Armstrong’s cross found its way into the net to pull a goal back for the visitors. Maeda then had another ruled out by VAR before the break.
Anthony Ralston came off the bench to make it five in stoppage time after a quiet second half.
Celtic will win the Premiership title on Sunday if Rangers lose at Aberdeen, live on Sky Sports, while Kilmarnock face a relegation battle in the bottom six.
Title in touching distance
Celtic are on the cusp of another title
Should Rangers lose, they will have only 15 points left to play for, which means Celtic will be crowned champions for the fourth successive season and the 13th time in 14 years, although there is little doubt that the Parkhead side will eventually get there in the end.
Rodgers promised changes next summer in the wake of the McDiarmid Park performance and made more immediate alterations to his side with veteran winger James Forrest, defenders Liam Scales and Greg Taylor and attacker Adam Idah back in the side.
Celtic made over 1000 passes
Celtic came flying out and the startled visitors soon found themselves a goal down.
Japan midfielder Hatate played a bounce pass with Taylor and from 25 yards curled an unstoppable shot past Killie goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara.
Daizen Maeda taps-in at close range to extend Celtic’s lead
Kilmarnock were still coming to terms with the early setback when Hoops midfielder Arne Engels played in overlapping right-back Alistair Johnston, whose cross got past defender Lewis Mayo on the line and fell to Maeda and he simply tapped into an empty net for his 31st Celtic goal this season.
Johnston set up Hatate for his second with another cutback from the right four minutes later, the Hoops playmaker taking a touch before sliding the ball into the corner from 12 yards with the Kilmarnock defence all over the place.
Daniel Armstrong catches Viljami Sinisalo out with a cross to put Kilmarnock on the scoreboard
The shell-shocked visitors reduced the deficit when Armstrong turned on to his left foot on the right side and flighted the ball high over Hoops ‘keeper Viljami Sinisalo, albeit it could have been more of a cross than a shot.
Back came Celtic and when O’Hara blocked a close-range shot from Hatate, Maeda was on hand to slam the ball into the net from eight yards but this time the VAR ruled offside.
Anthony Ralston came off the bench to score Celtic’s fifth
There was a lull in the game before Engels clipped the bar in the 77th minute and then deep into three minutes of added time, Ralston, on for Johnston, scored with an angled-drive with Celtic now on the brink of yet another title success.
Rodgers ready to ‘fight to the very end’ for Taylor
Brendan Rodgers called Celtic’s performance perfect after they thumped Kilmarnock five-nil at Celtic Park.
Player of the match Greg Taylor is out of contract at the end of the season, but Brendan Rodgers hopes he will reconsider his future.
Rogers told Sky Sports: “I thought he was brilliant for us because, when you play against a man-marking system, you have to be able to rotate and be flexible and not mechanical. Otherwise, the positions don’t open up for you. He was a real catalyst for us, coming in and creating space.
“I’ll always fight to the very end for a player and a person like Greg. Of course, he’s earned the right to make the decision he wants but I think you see in the performance today how important someone in that role is for us.
“So, yes, we’ll always try to convince but we’ll see what happens come the end of the season.”
On Celtic’s performance, Rodgers added: “We needed a reaction and it’s what I’d said about being a Celtic player and the team is about the winning ambition and the winning attitude.
“When you mix that with talent and, especially that first half, it was so good. The goals, the connections, the combinations, the counter-presses.”
