Celtic 3-1 Heart of Midlothian

Celtic hit three first-half goals to ease past Hearts and go 14 points clear at the Scottish Premiership summit.

Odsonne Edouard got the third-minute opener, with Dedryck Boyata and Moussa Dembele also scoring before the break.

Hearts' Kyle Lafferty pulled one back with a fine low strike on 67 minutes.

But it was the sole chance of note for the visitors as dominant Celtic gained a degree of revenge for the thumping at Tynecastle that ended their 69-game unbeaten domestic run in December.

The defeat is Hearts' first in 13 matches. Craig Levein's side remain fifth in the table, four points behind rivals Hibernian.

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Just over six weeks ago, Celtic's lengthy and historic unbeaten streak came to a crashing end when they were trounced 4-0 in Gorgie. Nobody could possibly have predicted it, and such was its impact, people are still talking about the result. This game provided the opportunity for retribution. And the champions grasped it in style.

Striker Odsonne Edouard fired in the opening goal after less than three minutes

Given the injury to the recently favoured Leigh Griffiths, manager Brendan Rodgers opted for a front pairing of Edouard and Dembele and it took less than three minutes for the duo to carve out the opener.

The visitors were caught in possession inside Celtic's half and when the ball broke to Edouard, he sprinted towards goal with Hearts defenders in hot pursuit. Just as it looked as though the chasing pack would catch him, the 20-year-old smashed the ball past Jon McLaughlin in the away goal.

It was a moment that rocked Hearts - and one from which they never recovered. Kieran Tierney, then Dembele, went close, before the second goal arrived after 25 minutes.

Dedryck Boyata slid the ball under Jon McLaughlin to put Celtic two goals ahead

Another slick passage of play ended with Dembele playing in Boyata, and the big Belgian slotted deftly under McLaughlin. With Celtic in ruthless mood, and Hearts floundering, it looked like game over already.

Dembele was desperate for a goal of his own and he got it before the break, thanks in no small part to Tierney. The young full-back was at his impressive best, working the left flank with searing speed, silky skill and ferocious determination.

Moussa Dembele diverted Kieran Tierney's cross into the Hearts net - his first goal since November

When he turned Conor Randall inside out, and flicked in a cross, Dembele turned it home at the near post. Goal number nine for the season and some relief following questions about his future and form.

The Frenchman almost registered another assist when he played Edouard in with a sumptuous spin and pass just after the hour, but his compatriot could only strike the ball against McLaughlin.

New loan signing Charly Musonda took the field with the event pretty much over as a contest and, with lime green boots on his feet and the number 67 on his back, he teased the home fans with flashes of trickery and patches of promise.

New Celtic signing Charly Musonda made his debut off the bench

The pantomime villain role was played by Lafferty, but the former Rangers striker silenced the jeers with an absolute howitzer of a goal after Celtic captain Scott Brown uncharacteristically surrendered the ball.

The skipper, who was an otherwise dominant presence in the centre of midfield, was perhaps put under pressure by the pass of Jozo Simunovic.

Nevertheless, he was caught in possession, and Northern Irishman Lafferty punished him with a long-range shot that flew into the bottom corner - his 12th goal of the season.

Kyle Lafferty rocketed home a superb consolation for Hearts

As the home fans started to make for the exits, Celtic passed up a number of opportunities to make the scoreline more emphatic. This was a fine display, though - their best of 2018 by some distance.