ODSONNE Edouard netted a double as Celtic thrashed Hearts 5-0 at Parkhead to move within a point of the Ladbrokes Premiership leaders with a game in hand.
The French striker, who cost the Scottish champions a club record £9 million from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, scored twice in the opening 45 minutes as his team eased to a 3-0 half-time lead.
Filip Benkovic, the Croatian centre half who is on loan from Leicester City this season, also opened his account for the Glasgow club with a headed goal at a corner.
Brendan Rodgers’s men eased up in the second-half, but James Forrest managed to get his name on the scoresheet and Ryan Christie converted a late penalty to cap a highly-satisfactory afternoon for home side.
They have now won their last six league games – netting no fewer than 22 goals in the process – and will surely leapfrog their injury-ravaged capital rivals in the near future if they maintain their impressive run of form.
Rodgers fielded the same starting line-up that had taken to the field against Dundee at Dens Park on Wednesday night and romped to an emphatic 5-0 win.
His opposite number Craig Levein, meanwhile, made four changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Hibernian at Tynecastle.
Oliver Bozanic, Ben Garuccio, Olly Lee and Callumn Morrison, dropped to the bench and Harry Cochrane, Steven MacLean, Demetri Mitchell and Jake Mulraney came in.
Hearts had accepted the two game ban offered to MacLean by the SFA compliance officer for serious foul play in the Betfred Cup semi-final last Sunday – he had grabbed Eboue Kouassi’s private parts in the meeting with Celtic - hours before the Hibs game.
But one of those matches will be served in the League Cup next season meaning the experienced forward was free to lead the line for the Gorgie club in the absence of injured duo Uche Ikpeazu and Steven Naismith.
There were chants of “there’s only one Neil Lennon” from the Celtic fans situated closest to the Hearts supporters inside the stadium after the game kicked-off.
It was as much a wind-up of their rivals as it was a show of support for their much-loved former player and manager – who had been struck in the face by a coin at the end of the Edinburgh derby.
Celtic, comfortable 3-0 winners over their opponents in the cup tie at Murrayfield six days earlier, picked up where they had left off six days earlier. Craig Gordon is hoping to win back his place in the Scotland side from his Rangers counterpart Allan McGregor. But he had no opportunity to showcase his talents here.
Edouard gave the home team the lead in the 18th minute when he received the ball from Scott Sinclair outside him on the left flank, stepped outside Peter Haring and drilled a ferocious shot into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
Celtic forged further in front eight minutes later when Benkovic slipped his marker Jimmy Dunne at a Callum McGregor corner, rose unchallenged and headed past Zdenek Zlamal.
Edouard bagged his second six minutes before half-time after Kieran Tierney curled a cross into the Hearts six yard box and neither Dunne or Zlamal managed to deal with it. The striker prodded home from a few yards out.
With the victory assured, Rodgers took off right back Mikael Lustig and put on Kristoffer Ajer in the 58th minute.
The Europa League meeting with RB Leipzig on Thursday night will be far more demanding than this encounter and he was clearly keen to ensure the experienced defender is fresh and fully fit.
Edouard, who took his tally for the 2018/19 campaign to 11 with his brace, turned provider in the 65th minute. He cut into the box and supplied Forrest who slotted home from an acute angle.
Ryan Christie completed the rout two minutes from the end of regulation time after Hearts substitute Craig Wighton had brought down Forrest inside his area. The midfielder made no mistake from the spot.
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