Celtic bounced back from their recent double setback with a 5-1 win over Aberdeen to stretch their lead at the top of the William Hill Premiership to 16 points.
Brendan Rodgers’ side suffered a surprise defeat to Hibernian at Easter Road at the weekend after being knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich a week ago despite an impressive 1-1 draw in the second leg in Germany.
The Dons missed three good chances in the first half which ended with the home side leading through goals from Daizen Maeda, Jota and Callum McGregor, taking the jeopardy out of the second half.
Celtic substitute Yang Hyun-Jun added a fourth in the 72nd minute before Dons substitute Shayden Morris reduced the deficit in the last minute of normal time but there was time for Maeda to grab his second to complete a convincing victory.
With 10 fixtures remaining, Celtic moved further ahead of Old Firm rivals Rangers at the top of the table and are firmly on course for a domestic treble.
Jimmy Thelin had got Aberdeen back on track with three successive wins in all competitions after a horrendous run of league form but paid dearly for their first-half profligacy albeit they finished the night still in third place, one point ahead of Dundee United who host Hibs on Wednesday.
The fixtures continue to come thick and fast for the Hoops.
Rodgers reshuffled his pack with winger Jota, left-back Jeffrey Schlupp and midfielder Reo Hatate back in the side.
Thelin had asked his team for bravery but that appeared to be missing in the seventh minute as a swift counter-attack ended when Oday Dabbagh, making his first start, somehow failed to get a touch on a pass from Jeppe Okkels as keeper Kasper Schmeichel rushed out to meet him.
Moments later, the Hoops number one passed straight to Dons striker Kevin Nisbet but his shot sped past the far post.
It was two good opportunities spurned and almost inevitably they proved crucial.
Celtic’s first goal in the 24th minute came when Kristers Tobers’ interception of an Arne Engels through ball spun high into the air and when it came down, Maeda was first to react, volleying past hesitant keeper Ross Doohan from six yards.
Six minutes later Jota broke on the counter with pace against a stretched Dons defence and when his pass to Engels was returned he scuffed the ball into the net from 10 yards.
Aberdeen continued to pose problems going forward but missed another chance when Okkels was played in by Dabbagh but mis-hit his shot from 14 yards wide of the target and again the sloppy visitors were made to pay when McGregor curled in a third after getting the break of the ball just on half-time.
Thelin replaced Nisbet and Okkels with Morris and Pape Gueye for the start of the second half and soon Rodgers, with the points secure, brought on Adam Idah, Yang and Luke McCowan for Jota, Nicolas Kuhn and Hatate.
In keeping with Aberdeen’s night, Morris powered his way past Celtic defender Auston Trusty in the 64th minute but with only Schmeichel to beat he screwed his unconvincing effort past the far post.
Again, the visitors suffered when Yang worked a one-two with McCowan inside the Aberdeen box and slipped the ball past Doohan at the near post.
Midfielder Jude Bonnar, 19, came on to make his Celtic debut with 10 minutes remaining, before Morris beat Schmeichel at his near post with a powerful drive but Celtic ran back up the pitch and Maeda knocked an Alistair Johnston cross in from close range to finish the game on a high.
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