Dundee 0-4 Celtic

James Forrest scored Celtic's fourth goal to secure progress to the Scottish League Cup semi-final

Celtic swept Dundee aside to surge into the Scottish League Cup semi-finals with a resounding win.

The hosts were initially lively, but lost their way after Scott Sinclair won and converted a first-half penalty.

The second goal by James Forrest, just before half-time, established an unassailable lead.

Callum McGregor and Forrest again completed the scoring as Celtic extended their run of unbeaten domestic games to 56.

Dundee will rue Faissal El Bakhtaoui missing the chance to level the scores at 1-1 during the first half, but ultimately they could not live with Celtic's pace and attacking threat.

Celtic made six changes to their starting line-up, with defender Dedryck Boyata making his first start this season after recovering from injury.

The Belgium international played two-thirds of the game, as he continues to seek full match sharpness, and manager Brendan Rodgers can shuffle his side again for Saturday's Old Firm meeting at Ibrox.

Celtic winger Scott Sinclair opened the scoring against Dundee from the penalty spot

Dundee manager Neil McCann had said his side would not go toe-to-toe with the cup holders, but they certainly kept Rodgers' side pretty quiet at the start of the match with a real dogged determination.

The Dark Blues were not afraid to pour forward in numbers either, when given the chance, and the Dutchman Randy Wolters saw an early effort deflected just wide.

But the composure and patience that had allowed Celtic to notch up 55 domestic games unbeaten was once again on show and after 24 minutes a burst of brilliance brought them the lead.

Sinclair picked up the ball on the right and danced past two players before being tripped by Jack Hendry inside the area. It was a straightforward decision for referee John Beaton, and Sinclair made it look easy from the spot as he coolly slipped the ball past goalkeeper Scott Bain.

Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata made his first appearance of the season after returning from injury

El Bakhtaoui should have levelled shortly afterwards, though, as the home side refused to buckle. Wolters delivered an inch perfect cross from the right, but the Moroccan kicked fresh air on six yards and the chance was gone.

Sinclair continued to terrorise the home side down the right - the Englishman looking very much in the mood - but a few decent deliveries into the box went unanswered.

It was evidence that Celtic were turning the screw and the second goal never looked far away. It came just minutes before the interval.

Kieran Tierney, who looks more like a winger than a defender these days, swept a fabulous low ball into the box and Forrest stretched from eight yards to guide the ball into the net.

The visitors emerged after the interval like a side desperate to put the result beyond doubt. Leigh Griffiths was shooting on sight but the third refused to come.

Dundee midfielder Randy Wolters had to receive lengthy treatment after an accidental clash with Olivier Ntcham

The momentum was broken when Wolters received what looked like a worrying throat injury after an accidental clash with Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham. The medical staff from both benches rushed on but after a five-minute delay the midfielder staggered to his feet and played on.

The tempo dropped, as Celtic strolled around with the home side happy to sit off and invite them on. It looked at times that Celtic would burst into the box simply to amuse themselves and on one such occasion Forrest almost doubled his tally from close range.

The third did come and so did a fourth just before the end, and it was no more than Celtic deserved.

Dundee were caught in possession in Celtic's half and Sinclair motored away. When he looked up, he found substitute McGregor, who drilled the ball low past Bain on the angle from the left. Moments later, Forrest struck from the edge of the box to ice the cake.

The superlatives just keep coming for this Celtic side under Rodgers. Another game and another team blown away with ease. They swagger into the League Cup semi finals, looking simply unstoppable.