Manager Brendan Rodgers hailed Celtic's "brilliant reaction" to their shock defeat at St Johnstone as they moved to within touching distance of another Scottish Premiership title by ripping Kilmarnock apart with a barnstorming first-half display.
After losing to the bottom team in the division, Rodgers demanded a response. Within 24 minutes, Daizen Maeda, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Reo Hatate each scored twice to put his team four goals ahead. Derek McInnes' team got a brief break when Danny Armstrong's cross hit the post, but the champion-elect completely dominated. In the final minute of the game, substitute Anthony Ralston danced into the box and scored from the far corner. If Aberdeen defeat Rangers on Sunday, Celtic will win the title, while Kilmarnock, which has been badly defeated, enters a crucial run in the bottom six that will determine their fate. Rodgers stated to BBC Scotland, "That was a brilliant reaction, as frustrated as I was last week." "We were at our best for the first 30 minutes. "That's more like what we've been for large parts of the season. Winning attitude mixed with talent, you get that performance."
After losing last Sunday, Rodgers questioned his team's mentality, which meant there would be no home title party this weekend. The intention and desire were evident right away due to the home team's four substitutions, two at the top and two at the back. Celtic were magnificent and swatted Kilmarnock away with some excellent goals.
The first goal came in a one-of-a-kind moment when Hatate gathered from a one-two and fired straight into the top corner, leaving Kieran O'Hara with no chance. Things quickly imploded for the visitors. Arne Engels waited and waited before playing a delightful ball in behind for Alistair Johnston, who squared for Maeda to tap in the easiest of his now 31 goals this season.
Celtic's attacking was relentless and Carter-Vickers got in on the act as he strode freely towards the box and smashed a perfect long-range strike into the top corner.
With Johnston released once more by James Forrest in the fourth, Hatate found space and time to score his second of the game and 10th of the season. At that stage, Kilmarnock looked in freefall. From nowhere, Armstrong crossed with pace and it soared to the far post and over Viljami Sinisalo into the top corner. Thankfully, but with gratitude, received. Celtic persevered. Kilmarnock avoided further damage just before half-time when Maeda slammed home but Adam Idah was adjudged just offside.
The only solace for the visitors was it didn't get much worse as they changed approach at the break to some effect. The damage was done.
Engels was closest to a fifth with a curling effort that clipped the bar before Ralston's late strike as Celtic inflicted a painful, chastening afternoon on their opponents.
As the title win nears, Celtic are completely dominant. No title party, just yet, and that clearly irked Rodgers given his comments in the past week.
It was evident that his rage had the desired effect on his team. Jota, Nicolas Kuhn, Auston Trusty and Jeffrey Schlupp all made way and Celtic were on it from minute one.
It was a brilliant response as Kilmarnock were battered into submission within the opening quarter of the match.
At half-time this really could have been a cricket score. Celtic eased off and a change in approach from Kilmarnock stemmed the flow but this was a convincing and deserved victory.
Whether on Sunday or later, there will be yet another Premiership title. However, it is evident that the manager of Celtic is already planning for the future. He told BBC Scotland pre-match he will "150%" remain Celtic manager next season and his position on the next steps seems crystal clear.
This squad needs improved despite yet more success being within their grasp.
Kilmarnock must regroup to retain Premiership status
In the five post-split games, the real battle for Kilmarnock and every team in the bottom six has begun. Since 2012, the Rugby Park team has not defeated Celtic on the road, and ending that streak was always unlikely. Within 10 minutes it was a crisis management exercise in damage limitation.
Kilmarnock had very little possession, could not leave their box, and rarely crossed the halfway line. It was the sort of afternoon no footballer wants to experience, never mind fans.
The second half game-management may be helpful, as second-bottom Dundee are just one point behind Hibernian before Sunday's match. Goal difference may be crucial. When you look at this Kilmarnock team, you think they should be able to stay out of trouble, but they are right where they are right now. They'll want to forget about this afternoon, regroup, and get back to the business at hand. What they said
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "I feel much much happier than I was last week. Over the course of a week's work and now, you can see the response. "It puts us in a perfect place going into the Scottish Cup semi-final [next week]. If we put in a performance like that, hopefully we can get to the final."
Derek McInnes, who is in charge of Kilmarnock, said, "Celtic started like a train and put us to the sword with their movement." You wonder, "How can they lose games in the Premiership?" when they behave in that manner. "We need to get back into work. Every bottom-six team is in a fight, we've got to make sure we win those fights. We didn't have to fight today to win."
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