Celtic climb to top after crushing Kilmarnock

Celtic stormed back to the top of the Scottish Premiership with a crushing 5-1 win over Kilmarnock, who had started the match yesterday at the summit. James Forrest’s first-time finish from Emilio Izaguirre’s cross gave Brendan Rodgers’ side an early lead — the first goal Killie had conceded in five games.

That became two midway through the first half when Tom Rogic played the ball through to Odsonne Edouard and he fired into the roof of the net. Celtic were rampant and Mikael Lustig stabbed in a third from Callum McGregor’s free-kick 10 minutes before half-time.

In-form forward Ryan Christie curled a free-kick past goalkeeper Dan Bachmann to make it 4-0 at the break but Kilmarnock were on the scoresheet through Eamonn Brophy’s penalty early in the second half.

Forrest scored his second goal of the game in the 67th minute, pouncing on the loose ball after Christie had been brought down.

Hearts moved level on points with third-placed Rangers as Peter Haring’s 14th-minute header from Ollie Bozanic’s cross was enough to secure a 1-0 win against Motherwell.

Two goals in three second-half minutes gave St Johnstone a 2-0 win against Aberdeen at Pittodrie while Livingston came from a goal down to ease to a 3-1 victory over St Mirren.

Oli Shaw scored the only goal of the game as Hibs claimed a 1-0 win at Hamilton. Steven Gerrard’s Rangers travel to Dundee today.

SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP

Aberdeen 0 St Johnstone 2 (Shaughnessy 71, Alston 74); Celtic 5 (Forrest 6, 67, Edouard 24, Lustig 35, Christie 45+1) Kilmarnock 1 (Brophy 52-pen); Hamilton 0 Hibs 1 (Shaw 65); Hearts 1 (Haring 14) Motherwell 0; Livingston 3 (Pittman 50, Hardie 64, Sibbald 88) St Mirren 1 (Jones 36)

Playing today: Dundee v Rangers