Celtic 3-1 Kilmarnock: Defending champions move seven points clear at top
- Published
Luis Palma doubled Celtic's lead in the first half
Celtic moved seven points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership after beating Kilmarnock with a score line that "didn't reflect the dominance in the game".
With second-place St Mirren playing struggling Rangers on Sunday, the leaders knew they could extend the gap going into the international break and shake off the disappointment of the late midweek loss to Lazio.
And they did that with one of their strongest domestic displays of the season, moving to a tally of 22 points from 24 and avenging their Viaplay Cup defeat by Kilmarnock, who remain four points above bottom place.
Reo Hatate waltzed through the visitors' defence to slip a shot past Will Dennis for the opener and Luis Palma doubled the advantage with a sweet strike following Joe Wright's error.
David Watson pulled a controversial goal back before the unmarked Greg Taylor sealed all three points in Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers' 700th game as a manager.
"It was a very good performance," Rodgers told BBC Scotland. "The score line probably didn't reflect the dominance in the game. Overall, very pleased. Still a way to go. Slowly we're building performance level."
After the disappointment in the Champions League on Wednesday, Celtic were very much back in their comfort zone, laying siege to their opponents with Taylor and Palma's prowess on the left and Hatate's intricate work centrally.
Kyogo Furuhashi had a goal disallowed for offside at 0-0 and Hatate was denied a second by Lewis Mayo's interception in the six-yard box and and later a Dennis save.
The midfielder also thought he had won a penalty only for the video assistant referee to rule Watson's challenge was legal.
Celtic felt Taylor and Alistair Johnston had been fouled before Danny Armstrong created the chance for Watson to finish on the right but the goal stood.
But it mattered little in the end because of the Taylor effort, before Daizen Maeda and James Forrest threatened a fourth late on.
Player of the match - Reo Hatate
The Japan midfielder orchestrated much of Celtic's best play and netted a deserved goal
VAR favours Palma after Lazio heartache - analysis
Palma's inclusion allowed Celtic to take advantage of a pocket of space whenever he cut inside on the left. Indeed, it was Wright's wayward pass into that area that led to Palma's goal, the winger striking after his forward pass was cut out.
The goal was checked by VAR amid suspicion Hatate was offside but, unlike Wednesday, the decision went in Palma's favour. The winger had netted as a substitute against the Italians only to eventually be ruled offside.
As well as a dose of good fortune, Kilmarnock needed a strong defensive performance and they were badly caught out at all three goals, the third the most galling with Taylor left free to convert Maeda's header on at a corner.
And they cannot say they did not have chances. Wright headed an Armstrong free-kick into the ground and over at 2-1 and Vassell was unable to convert a deflected Watson cross late in the contest.
What they said
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "It was a very good performance. The score line probably didn't reflect the dominance in the game.
"I don't think [the Kilmarnock goal] was a goal. The young Kilmarnock player has Greg [Taylor] in a hold position and as soon as he swivels to go in behind, he's brought to the floor.
"Lo and behold they go up the other end and go into the space that Greg leaves. We're disappointed with that. It's one of those things."
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "We were disappointed with the first goal. I would expect more pressure on the ball. [For the second goal] I thought it was an offside in the passage of play. I'm disappointed with our part in that.
"We get a good goal. Joe Wright should do better with his header at 2-1. We got undone. We've got to get tighter marked. We lose a poor third goal."
What's next?
After the international break, Celtic visit Hearts on Sunday, 22 October (14:15 BST) and Kilmarnock host Livingston the previous day (15:00).
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