Celtic hammered Hearts, widening their Premiership lead to four points—was this the most dominant display of the season?
Hearts returned to Parkhead for the first time since May’s cup heartbreak, hoping revenge, only to be overwhelmed.
Within ten minutes the Hoops surged ahead twice, both from Mika Baur corners – Tierney headed the opener, Nygren’s deflected volley doubled the lead.
Callum Osmand, the title‑clincher five months earlier, marked his first start with a rapid brace, pouncing on a poor Sabri Guendouz pass and later heading the rebound after Camilo Duran’s miss.
Laurent Mendy pulled one back for Hearts, but their comeback hopes faded when Stephen Kingsley and Jamie McCart inadvertently turned the ball into their own net before halftime.
Duran redeemed himself with a curling sixth, and Nygren capped the night with a seventh.
It was a statement win for Martin O’Neill’s side, reminding Hearts of what it takes to clinch the title. For my money, Celtic showed why they belong at the summit.
The key moments from Celtic Park
7: GOAL! Celtic take an early lead! Liam Scales gets on the end of Mika Baur’s corner and he heads it to Kieran Tierney to nod into the net.
10: GOAL! Celtic’s second corner, Celtic’s second goal. Baur sends it in with Dane Murray flicking it on to Benjamin Nygren and his deflected volley hits the back of the net.
18: OFF THE POST! Haissem Hassan easily beats Stephen Kingsley and gets a shot away, but it smacks the upright.
36: GOAL! Callum Osmand celebrates his first start by taking advantage of Sabri Guendouz’s terrible pass to slot home.
38: GOAL! Camilo Duran’s first effort is saved by Reus. He pounces on the rebound and sends the ball to Osmand to head his second of the game.
41: GOAL! The visitors pull one back before the break as Laurent Mendy curls a powerful drive into the net from around 16 yards.
44: CLOSE! Duran is through on goal but sends it wide. That should be five.
45+1: GOAL! Baur cuts through the defence and flicks over Reus, and Kingsley knocks it over his own line off fellow defender McCart.
49: GOAL CELTIC! Tierney slips the ball through for Duran and he curls it into the net.
83: GOAL CELTIC! Kasper Hogh spins away from the Hearts defence and plays it out to Nygren and he slots the ball into the corner.
‘I have never seen anything like it in my life’
“That is as close, especially that first 45 minutes, that I have seen to Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic team.”
“I know Brendan Rodgers had spells, but the speed and forward play today matched what Postecoglou instilled.”
“The first half was devastating. Hearts, I cannot work out what they were trying to do today.”
“I don’t see any of that Hearts team in Celtic’s lineup. So what makes you think you’re better than them?”
“That was an annihilation. I’ve never witnessed anything like it.”
Former Hearts defender Ryan McGowan:
“I couldn’t tell if Hearts were terribly poor or Celtic were exceptionally good – probably a mix of both.”
“Hearts kept surrendering the ball in dangerous zones, leading to quick goals; they did it repeatedly all game.”
“There are levels to football. Hearts chased last season’s close finish and now aim to challenge at the top, but they must grasp the game.”
“They were 5‑1 down at half‑time and whatever the manager said fell on deaf ears, as another goal arrived four minutes into the second half.”
“It was a truly poor performance from Hearts, rarely acknowledged in the past year, yet Celtic deserve massive credit.”
O’Neill: ‘Everything clicked’
“We played very well indeed, scoring some brilliant goals as well.”
“That boost helps, but there’s still a long way to go. It felt good to win after Thursday’s worries about our cohesion.”
“It’s easy to be generous after the match, but they’re still strong challengers. Everything clicked for us today.”
“Ask any manager or player – once you put a couple of goals ahead, confidence surges dramatically.”
“The squad played with confidence, which you have to earn first, and we did that today.”
Vrancken: ‘I’m sorry’
“It was disappointing how it unfolded, especially conceding from two set‑pieces.”
“Going two goals down is tough, then individual errors opened the game further.”
“We made mistakes we wouldn’t normally make. That’s all. I’m sorry.”