Strong second-half display at Hearts takes Celtic three points clear at the top

Celtic overcame a shaky first-half display to defeat Hearts 4-1 at Tynecastle and move three points clear of Aberdeen at the top of the William Hill Premiership.

The Hoops have been tracked by the Dons all season but the Pittodrie side’s first league defeat of the campaign away to St Mirren earlier in the day paved the way for Brendan Rodgers’ men – who had hitherto only been able to get ahead on goal difference – to assert their authority at the summit.

The Hoops were off the pace in the first half and looked at risk of a first domestic defeat since they lost on their last visit to Tynecastle almost nine months previously.

But the champions managed to subdue pumped-up Hearts in the second half and their class shone through as they pulled away through goals from Kyogo Furuhashi, Nicolas Kuhn and substitute Adam Idah, who hit a double either side of a consolation strike from home sub Musa Drammeh.

The Parkhead side have now won six matches in a row in all competitions ahead of their Champions League showdown at home to Club Brugge on Wednesday.

Hearts – who coincidentally travel to Belgium to face Cercle Brugge in the Conference League the following evening – made one change to the team that lost 1-0 away to Rangers before the international break as Beni Baningime replaced Kenneth Vargas.

Celtic made two changes from their 2-0 win at Kilmarnock as Liam Scales and Idah made way for Cameron Carter-Vickers and Kyogo.

Hearts – second bottom of the Premiership – started brightly and Blair Spittal got himself clear just inside the box in the second minute after a clever one-two with Lawrence Shankland but his shot lacked the power to trouble Kasper Schmeichel.

The hosts threatened again two minutes later when James Penrice’s low shot from 20 yards out was easily blocked by Schmeichel.

At the other end, Hoops forward Daizen Maeda glanced a free header over the bar from Callum McGregor’s cross to the edge of the six-yard box.

Hearts continued to look the more dangerous side and Shankland spurned two opportunities within the space of four minutes, both following Penrice deliveries from the left.

Kyogo reminded the hosts of Celtic’s threat when he received a pass from Carter-Vickers and drove forward but his shot from distance was easily dealt with by Craig Gordon.

Hearts’ supporters were revelling in the sight of their side forcing Celtic into a string of uncharacteristic mistakes and they forced another opportunity in the 41st minute but Alan Forrest’s powerful strike from the edge of the box was brilliantly charged down by Carter-Vickers.

The hosts were unable to maintain the upper hand after the break, however, and Celtic made the breakthrough in the 55th minute.

Daniel Oyegoke’s clearance from inside the box ricocheted back into the danger area off McGregor and fell kindly for Kyogo, who was initially denied by an excellent stop from Gordon before the Japanese reacted quickest to turn in the rebound from close range.

Celtic ruthlessly doubled their lead on the hour when Kuhn drove forward and played a one-two with Maeda before firing an emphatic angled strike high past Gordon from 10 yards.

Idah put the outcome beyond doubt in the 78th minute when he slotted beyond the exposed Gordon from 12 yards out after being played in by fellow sub Paulo Bernardo.

Drammeh pulled one back in the 82nd minute when he fired home his first goal for the Jambos from 20 yards out but Idah sealed the victory with a stoppage-time penalty after Jorge Grant fouled James Forrest.