St Johnstone 1-4 Celtic: Ange Postecoglou’s side are nine points ahead of Rangers

Celtic flexed their muscles at St Johnstone to ensure the weekend ended nine points clear of Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

The chasing Light Blues beat Ross County 2-1 in Ibrox on Saturday, but the champions didn’t let themselves be pressured with a convincing 4-1 win at McDiarmid Park.

Saints defender Andrew Considine converted a Kyogo Furuhashi cross into his own net in the 13th minute and the Japanese striker struck midway through the first half before winger Drey Wright scored three minutes later.

Midfielder Aaron Mooy restored Celtic’s two-goal lead in the 38th minute after Considine – featured in his 600th club game – was sent off in added time by referee David Dickinson for a draw with Oh Hyeon-gyu , while his substitute David Turnbull scored the fourth and the resulting free-kick.

Ange Postecoglou’s champions have lost once in 25 league games this season and once again they have produced an impressive team.

Celtic beat St Johnstone 4-1 on Sunday to extend their lead at the top of the table

Saints defender Andrew Considine (second left) scored an early own goal to make it 1-0

Forward Kyogo Furuhashi then doubled the lead for the Hoops at McDiarmid Park

Aaron Mooy made it 3-1 just before half-time after Drey Wright had leveled the score

Considine was then sent off for fouling Oh Hyeon-gyu in the defender’s 600th appearance

St Johnstone’s 2-0 win at Motherwell on Wednesday was their first win in eight games, but little had been expected against Parkhead’s men.

James Brown, Tony Gallacher, Graham Carey and Connor McLennan made the home line-up.

Meanwhile, Postecoglou made just one change, Mooy replacing Matt O’Riley in midfield for the lunchtime kick-off, where the home side struggled hard to gain traction early in the game.

The Hoops slowly gained control and took the lead as Furuhashi raced towards a pass from Mooy.

From the touchline, his attempted ball at Japanese teammates Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate was turned into his own net from close range by the helpless Considine.

The early blow to the Perth side’s confidence was compounded in the 22nd minute when Furuhashi fired high past goalkeeper Remi Matthews after a cross from Portuguese winger Jota following a long pass from Mooy, who was having a good game.

It looked like another romp for the champions, but they shut down for a moment and Wright drove past hoops keeper Joe Hart from 20 yards to give the home side some hope.

The visitors remained calm, however, and Jota’s clever chip down the St Johnstone defense gave Mooy time and space to calmly praise Matthews from 16 yards.

Furuhashi’s shot over the bar was the last chance of the first half and Jota came close to scoring in the 53rd minute, flying over the bar with a 24-yard drive after a scintillating Celtic move.

Celtic kept pressing and testing, although five minutes later McLennan failed to find a Carey cross just yards from goal in a rare St Johnstone attack.

Liel Abada and O’Riley replaced Hatate and Maeda in the 69th minute, while Saints midfielder David Wotherspoon came on for Wright.

Abada threw a Jota cross over the bar in the 75th minute before Zak Rudden came on to make his St Johnstone debut amid another series of substitutions.

With Considine grabbed just outside the box for his foul on Oh, Turnbull took a short O’Riley pass and shot past Matthews, with the goal being confirmed for offside after a long VAR check.

Ange Postecoglou’s side are nine points clear of rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premiership