Celtic continued their stronghold of the Scottish Premiership title race with a 4-0 win over St Johnstone on Sunday afternoon - comfortably disposing of the Perth outfit on a routine afternoon at Parkhead.
The Hoops came into this one having battered Motherwell 4-0 on Boxing Day, and looking to give their fans another dose of festive fun, they began on the front foot against Simo Valakari's men with Arne Engels especially being a danger to what has been a frightened defence this season with 18 goals conceded on the road prior to kick-off.
It took Celtic some time to open the scoring, but Nicolas Kuhn was the man of the moment once again as he cut in from the right, taking a Saints defender hostage before drilling beyond Josh Rae.
The Hoops huffed and puffed throughout the remainder of the first half but just couldn't put the ball in the net - thanks to Rae, who denied Kuhn with a superb stretching save moments after the opener.
Credit to Rae but he was helpless for the second when Kyogo nodded home from a matter of yards after Paulo Bernardo's strike was saved by the Saints stopper.
Kyogo doubled his tally just moments later after a super ball from Engels found him in space, marking his tenth strike of the season and seeing the game out of sight - before a flurry of changes saw Daizen Maeda enter the fray and score just five minutes after coming on, taking down a superb Bernardo ball to stab home.
Celtic now sit 14 points clear after Rangers' draw away at Motherwell, a superb cushion to have heading into the new year - whilst the Saints are in bother, sitting four points adrift of 11th-placed Ross County and five away from Hearts in the first 'safety spot' of the table.
Recap all the action, updates and analysis here!
Key Events
FULL TIME! Celtic 4-0 St Johnstone
Arne Engels is given Man of the Match before the majority of Celtic Park rises to its feet to applaud the full-time whistle from the referee.
It's been a non-contest from the start, in reality.
Celtic went 1-0 up on the half hour via Nicolas Kuhn, who continues his perfect campaign, and though it was a slight battle to find a double, they came like London buses with a five-minute double salvo from Kyogo putting the game beyond doubt before Daizen Maeda turned it into a battering.
For the Hoops, they've won yet again on home soil and now sit as the best home and away team in the land, but for the Saints, it's a real struggle and the new year needs to bring around better results to avoid a drop to the Championship.
Almost a fifth
There's a kerfuffle in the Saints boss after a low cross from Luke McCowan but the Saints just about clear before calamity ensues.
Petering out
It's a slow tempo at Celtic Park now - the hosts know the game is wrapped up and St Johnstone are struggling to get the ball.
Worse for the visitors, Hearts are 2-0 up against Ross County in Dingwall - so they're five points adrift of any relegation woes and four points behind the Staggies in 11th place. There's some serious work to be done if they're to avoid dropping to the second-tier.
More subs
Luke McCowan and Anthony Ralston have entered the fray to keep Celtic on the front foot, with Reo Hatate and Alistair Johnston coming off.
You'd argue that's Celtic's five best players on the day being hauled off - a reward for their strong work with one eye on Thursday's derby.
Meanwhile, Jason Holt comes on for Jack Sanders.
The show goes on
The Hoops are smelling blood, and most importantly, a higher goal difference. As it stands, it's an incredible 51 goals scored and just FOUR conceded in the Scottish Premiership.
Paulo Bernardo picks up the ball and almost gets his name on the scoresheet but his shot sails over the bar, whilst there's a slight penalty shout for a foul on Yang but it's waved away.
GOAL! Celtic 4-0 St Johnstone!
...and that's exactly how their fourth has come about through Daizen Maeda!
It's the same half spaces that we mentioned, with Paulo Bernardo - who has been sensational in recent weeks - slipping Maeda in behind the low block.
He takes one touch and guides the ball home into the bottom right corner to make this one a rout.
Maeda goes close
There were inklings of a carbon copy of Maeda's goal against Club Brugge in the Champions League at the start of the month when the Japan winger cut in from his favoured left-flank - but his shot was wayward.
Regardless, Celtic are still dominating and they're finding joy in the wide spaces...
Triple change 2.0
This time it's Brendan Rodgers who makes a triple sub. Adam Idah, Callum McGregor and Daizen Maeda have all been brought on for fresh legs - with Arne Engels, Kyogo and Nicolas Kuhn making way after their strong afternoons on the pitch.
Floodgate theory proven right
Well, we mentioned just after the first goal that the floodgates would open with Saints having to look for an equaliser - and that has played right into Celtic's hands.
It's been a sustained period of dominance but the Hoops have made that count with two quick fire goals - and with rivals Rangers drawing at Motherwell, it's looking like a potential 13 point gap heading into the new year.
GOAL! Celtic 3-0 St Johnstone
That is the game signed, sealed and delivered - and this time it's another goal courtesy of Kyogo!
Arne Engels finally gets his reward for his toiling efforts as he delivers a superb ball across the face for Kyogo, and the Japan star moves into double figures by tapping home past Josh Rae to register his second goal in five minutes.
GOAL! Celtic 2-0 St Johnstone!
Well, it's the curse of the commentator - but Kyogo has doubled the lead!
The ball is clipped into the box from a quick flurry of corners after being headed out, and Paulo Bernardo breaks the line to fire a shot straight at Josh Rae - though he can only parry the ball out to Kyogo, who fires home with ease from a matter of yards for his ninth goal in 25 outings.
Strong Saints
Give them their dues - St Johnstone have started well this half. They've had a shot off target, which was cleared, and the substitutes have definitely made a difference in terms of being stronger on the counter-attack.
Celtic do look to be a bit more wary of a goal threat from the visitors and that's all that Simo Valakari will have wanted after a poor first half.
Offside!
Celtic thought they'd gone 2-0 up after Alistair Johnston's drilled ball in was turned into the net by a Saints player - but Kyogo was offside in the build-up to the goal, meaning we remain with just a goal in it.
Triple change
The visitors have made a triple change for this second half.
Aaron Essel - who was booked just before the opener - has been hauled off, with Nicky Clark and Makenzie Kirk following suit.
They will be replaced by Lewis Neilson, Adama Sidebeh and Benji Kimpioka.
Back underway!
The second half is under way in Glasgow - can Celtic double their lead early on or will Saints find an unlikely way back into the game?
Half time stats
It's been quite the onslaught from Celtic - and that is reflected in the stats
The Hoops have had five shots on target compared to St Johnstone's 0 - and the Saints haven't even had a shot overall, with Celtic having a further seven off target in the process.
75 percent possession puts them well in control over the Saints' 25 percent, whilst eight corners to nil shows the stronghold that Brendan Rodgers' men have on the game.
HALF TIME! Celtic 1-0 St Johnstone
It's been one way traffic, if truth be told - and although Saints are still 'in the game', it's tough to see a way back if the second half mirrors the first.
A superb goal from Nicolas Kuhn broke the deadlock on the half-hour and Celtic have been dominant throughout, though their finishing has been somewhat lacking. If they can alter that, a second goal would surely put the game out of reach - but until they do, we're in for a fun second half.
Drop in tempo
It's been slightly subdued from Celtic in terms of clear chances in the past five minutes, but there have still been a few chances. Alistair Johnston flashes another cross into the box which is punched away by Rae, before Engels fires into Row Z after working some space on the edge.
One minute added here.
Kuhn denied a double
Wow. You can praise the shot all you like - but what a save that is from Joshua Rae.
Kuhn, bloodthirsty from his goal, cuts inside in typical fashion from the right and curls the ball with intent, destined for the top corner.
But Rae - who has been impressive today - produces the save of the game to keep his team holding on.
Floodgate theory
It's that elusive goal that Celtic have been looking for for half an hour - but you do feel that the floodgates could open from now.
Saints haven't looked remotely like scoring, and with the amount of defensive work that they've had to do, there's only so often you can keep a team out before they punish you time after time.
This is what Celtic are so good at - there's just a real lack of inconsistency in their play throughout a campaign, and today is no different. Kuhn, Engels and Hatate have all been impressive today and when a creative trio are on top form, it's really hard to stop for a team at the wrong end of the table.
GOAL! Celtic 1-0 St Johnstone!
It's taken half an hour, but it's finally the opener for the Hoops courtesy of Nicolas Kuhn.
A quick turnover in the middle of the pitch sees Reo Hatate advance, and he picks out Kuhn with space to manouver on the edge of the box. The German moves the ball to his favoured left foot and beats a man before completely wrong-footing Rae to drill into the right-hand side of the net.
You can't say it's not been coming!
Celtic close again
Shots from all Engels
It's the Arne Engels show out there today. The Belgian sees a pull-back from the left flank come into his path about 12 yards out, and his rasping strike is kept out superbly by Rae, when it looked headed for the top corner.
Moments later, a superb Alistair Johnston ball is whipped across goal and is almost turned in by a St Johnstone defender, though it's allowed to run across goal and out harmlessly for a goal kick.
Parkhead pinball
More pinball from a corner sees a high ball into the area, which Liam Scales tries to attack - but it's that crowded that the defender can only make minimal contact, straight into the arms of Josh Rae. A feeble effort in the end.
Continued dominance from the Hoops
You can't help but feel it's only a matter of time until Celtic score, here.
Another attack on the right sees Nicolas Kuhn go on his trademark, George Best-esque run across the box, beating four men before Jack Sanders makes the vital last-ditch tackle.
Engels then swings another ball in for Kyogo, who sweeps a shot wide, before the Belgian finds space in the resulting attack but he can only drill into the side netting.
It's hard to envisage Celtic not scoring before half-time.
Close from Kyogo
It's Engels again, producing a superb switch to Kyogo who gets in behind the Saints defence - but he struggles to contain what was a tough pass to control, and it just abouts gets away from the Japanese striker. He was offside anyway, but promising signs.
Arne up and at 'em
The Hoops' summer signing has been their bright spell so far. He's the main set-piece taker and has been finding pockets on the right flank, jinking in and out of the Saints' defence to deliver some hope going forward.
He could be key today with Celtic likely to spend a vast amount of time in the final third.
Early dominance
There's been early attacks for Celtic already, and they are dominating the ball as expected. Their first meaningful attack brings a corner from an Alistair Johnston drilled cross, and the resulting set piece works its way out to Reo Hatate, who sees his shot blocked with Cameron Carter-Vickers going inches away from the rebound.
A bright start from Brendan Rodgers' men.
