Celtic confirmed their domestic strength with a 3-0 victory over St Johnstone at a freezing McDiarmid Park to take them four points clear of Aberdeen at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Returning to action after concluding their doomed Europa League campaign against Fenerbahce on Thursday night, a double from striker Nadir Ciftci either side of a Dedryck Boyata header sealed a comfortable win.
Things might have been different had Michael O’Halloran, Murray Davidson or David Wotherspoon taken first-half chances for St Johnstone, who were unbeaten in seven heading into the match.
But, once Boyata had added to Ciftci’s 35th-minute opener two minutes after the break, there was no doubt where the points were heading, and Ciftci’s third in the 67th minute added further gloss.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Celtic | 17 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 44 | 12 | 42 |
| Aberdeen | 18 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 28 | 18 | 38 |
| Hearts | 17 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 29 | 18 | 31 |
| St Johnstone | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 35 | 29 | 30 |
| Ross County | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 28 | 26 | 24 |
| Hamilton | 17 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 22 | 25 | 22 |
| Inverness | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 23 | 20 |
| Partick | 17 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 23 | 20 |
| Dundee FC | 18 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 23 | 30 | 20 |
| Motherwell | 17 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 24 | 18 |
| Kilmarnock | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 32 | 17 |
| Dundee Utd | 18 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 34 | 9 |