Celtic remain two points ahead of rivals Rangers as they continued their winning start to the Scottish Premier League season with a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Dundee United.

Anthony Stokes gave the Hoops the lead in the fourth minute as he scored for the third successive match before Johnny Russell eq-ualised on the half-hour mark.

However, Gary Hooper restored Celtic’s lead minutes later before second-half goals from Ki Sung-Yeung, Joe Ledley and substitute James Forrest sealed the victory.

The win puts Celtic on maximum points after three matches but the victory was marred by an injury to Hooper, who was stret-chered off in the second half.

Old Firm rivals Rangers remain two points behind after second-half goals from Nikica Jelavic and Maurice Edu helped them to a 2-0 win away at Inverness in a game which saw both sides end with ten men.

It is Motherwell who top the table, though, after Tom Hateley scored in stoppage time to give them a 1-0 win over St Mirren.

At Celtic Park, the home side took just over three minutes to get their noses in front.

Dusan Pernis spilled Kris Commons’s fierce strike from 25 yards but recovered well to block the follow-up shot from Stokes.

However, Stokes didn’t have to wait long for another chance and from the resultant corner he poked the ball past Pernis.

United equalised on the half-hour mark as Garry Kenneth’s miscued shot rolled across the box for the unmarked Russell to side-foot home from close range.

However, they were only on level terms for three minutes before Hooper headed the Hoops into the lead again when he reacted quickest to nod past Pernis after Majstorovic’s deflected header bounced off the bar.

On 59 minutes, Hooper stepped over Commons’s pass to allow Ki to blast a shot high past Pernis into the top corner to make it 3-1.

Hooper was then stretchered off to be replaced by Shaun Maloney.

The substitute made an instant impact as he sent the ball across goal for Ledley to tap in from four yards to extend Celtic’s advantage.

Forrest then netted the fifth in stoppage time.

Premier League
Celtic 5 - Dundee Utd 1
Hearts 3 - Aberdeen 0
Inverness CT 0 - Rangers2
St Johnstone 0 - Dunfermline 1
St Mirren 0 - Motherwell 1

Premier League today
Kilmarnock-Hibernian - 14:15

First Division
Dundee 1 - Ayr 1
Falkirk 2 - Partick Thistle 1
Hamilton 5 - Ross County 1
Morton 2 - Livingston 1
Queen of South 1 - Raith Rovers 3

Second Division
Albion 1 - Forfar 0
Cowdenbeath 3 - Brechin 1
Dumbarton 1 - Stirling 5
East Fife 2 - Airdrie Utd 0
Stenhousemuir 2 - Arbroath 0

Third Division
Alloa 2 - Clyde 2
Berwick 4 - East Stirling 2
Montrose 3 - Elgin 0
Peterhead 2 - Annan Athletic 3
Queen’s Park 2 - Stranraer 0

Standings


P W D L F A Pts
Motherwell 4 3 1 0 5 0 10
Celtic 3 3 0 0 8 1 9
Rangers 3 2 1 0 5 1 7
Dunfermline 3 1 2 0 4 3 5
St Mirren 4 1 2 1 2 2 5
Dundee Utd 4 1 2 1 4 7 5
Hearts 4 1 1 2 4 3 4
Hibernian 2 1 0 1 1 2 3
Kilmarnock 2 0 2 0 1 1 2
St Johnstone 3 0 1 2 0 3 1
Aberdeen 4 0 1 3 0 5 1
Inverness CT 4 0 1 3 3 9 1

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