On loan winger Patrick Roberts struck two more goals as Celtic comprehensively defeated St Johnstone 4-1 at Celtic Park.
Dedryck Boyata and substitute Callum McGregor were also on target for the champions during the second-half against a Steven MacLean reply.
Teenagers Mikey Johnston and Anthony Ralston were both handed full debuts but it was Tom Rogic instantly forcing a low save from Zander Clark.
Danny Swanson swept a free-kick over at the other end before Rogic tested the keeper again, while youngster Johnston also saw a couple of efforts.
Stuart Armstrong was similarly trying from distance on two occasions and Kieran Tierney in turn proved wide. Blair Alston blazed over for the visitors from close-range ahead of the break.
But Johnston progressed down the right soon after the restart and allowed Roberts to despatch into the far corner for the opening goal.
Celtic weren’t ahead for long though, Ricky Foster delivering and Graham Cummins’ header initially being denied by Craig Gordon and MacLean drilled an immediate equaliser.
Just three minutes later, however, Boyata headed in Leigh Griffiths’ corner as the home side hurriedly reclaimed their advantage.
Substitute Scott Sinclair next struck over having exchanged passes with Griffiths before Armstrong was only marginally off-target.
Saints keeper Clark could then only block Griffiths’ firm drive and Roberts claimed his second of the game from Sinclair’s cut-back.
Second-half replacement Sinclair almost had another as Clark reacted well, but that was still to arrive when McGregor superbly evaded challengers to add a fourth goal only moments after his own introduction.
Celtic: Gordon, Ralston, Simunovic, Boyata, Tierney, Bitton, Armstrong, Roberts (Forrest 83), Rogic (McGregor 70), Johnston (Sinclair 57), Griffiths
subs (unused): Toure, Gamboa, de Vries, Henderson
Goals: Roberts (47, 62), Boyata (52), McGregor (71)
St Johnstone: Clark, Foster, Shaughnessy, Anderson, Easton, Alston (Wotherspoon 69), Swanson (Kane 80), Paton, Craig, MacLean, Cummins (Thomson 61)
subs (unused): Mannus, Scobbie, Smith, Hurst
Goals: MacLean (49)
Ref: N. Walsh
Att: 52,796
Share this article
