Overview
- Celtic beat Hearts 7-1 at Celtic Park on Sunday, moving four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
- Callum Osmand and Benjamin Nygren each scored two goals, with Osmand making his first senior start and being withdrawn at half-time for a precautionary hamstring check.
- Manager Martin O'Neill praised the performance but stressed that the team must win the Europa League home game with Celta Vigo on Thursday to arrest a poor continental start.
- Dane Murray delivered an eye-catching defensive display with a first senior assist and 93% pass completion, and other youngsters including Camilo Duran and Mika Baur played key roles.
- Persistent problems remain: Celtic have European defeats earlier in the season, record signing Kasper Hogh is still in a scoring drought, and fixture congestion is forcing difficult selection and rotation choices.