Celtic remain four points behind Rangers at the top of the Premier League after a 2-0 defeat of Inverness at Parkhead, yesterday.
Rangers had piled the pressure on the Hoops as goals from Carlos Bocanegra, Maurice Edu and a Steven Naismith double helped thrash Dunfermline 4-0 in the early kick-off.
It was the ideal way for the Scottish champions to erase memories of the midweek League Cup exit to First Division Falkirk and ensure boss Ally McCoist was able to enjoy his 49th birthday.
But Celtic, who lost out in last week’s Old Firm derby, responded in positive fashion with first-half strikes from Joe Ledley and James Forrest enough to defeat bottom of the table Inverness.
Premier League
Celtic 2 - Inverness CT 0
Dunfermline 0 - Rangers 4
Hibernian 3 - Dundee Utd 3
Motherwell 1 - Aberdeen 0
St Mirren 3 - Kilmarnock 0
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Rangers | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 22 |
| Celtic | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 6 | 18 |
| Motherwell | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 16 |
| Hearts | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 12 |
| St Mirren | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 12 |
| Kilmarnock | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Dundee Utd | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 10 |
| St Johnstone | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 9 |
| Dunfermline | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 16 | 9 |
| Hibernian | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 6 |
| Aberdeen | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 6 |
| Inverness CT | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 5 |
Playing today:
St Johnstone-Hearts - 13.00
First Division
Ayr 1 - Queen of South 0
Dundee 0 - Hamilton 1
Livingston 2 - Partick Thistle 1
Morton 3 - Falkirk 2
Raith Rovers 0 - Ross County 1
Second Division
Airdrie Utd 1 - Stirling 1
Brechin 2 - Arbroath 3
Cowdenbeath 2 - Albion 1
Forfar 0 - Dumbarton 2
Stenhousemuir 2 - East Fife 1
Third Division
Alloa 4 - Montrose 2
Annan 3 - East Stirling 0
Clyde 1 - Berwick 4
Peterhead 1 - Queen’s Park 1
Stranraer 1 - Elgin 0