Celtic bring Christmas forward but Hibs decide not to unwrap the gifts - comment and player ratings

That was the case here against Hibs as Brendan Rodgers' team chalked up a 3-0 win to further cement their status as Premiership champions-in-waiting. Celtic went down a gear and remain unpunished. The fact that their goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was named man of the match tells its own story. But by dint of second-placed Aberdeen drawing 1-1 at St Johnstone, they ended the day nine points clear at the summit.

Rodgers left key trio Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi out of his starting XI for the visit of David Gray's men. The impact those three have on the team cannot be underplayed. Particularly in the first half, Celtic were diminished for their absence, but Arne Engels' opener, a Joe Newell own goal and a late strike from substitute Furuhashi secured the win.

The visitors had three gilt-edged moments early on in the first half, yet failed spectacularly on each occasion. Last time Mykola Kuharevich was at Celtic Park, he scored a sublime header in a Premier Sports Cup tie in August. The two chances that came his way four months on looked far more straightforward, clear one-on-ones with Schmeichel. The Dane prevailed on both occasions.

Captain Newell cannot be exonerated either after blazing over from inside the box following one of the best passing moves you will see all season. Hibs put in a decent cohesive performance, yet ended the afternoon back on the bottom of the table due to Hearts winning 2-0 against Dundee. The Hibees are only one point behind them, though.

More of this fare and they should climb the standings. The regret will be that Celtic came bearing early Christmas presents that went unwrapped. Even serial performers such as Callum McGregor and Alistair Johnston had their iffy moments. Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn were quieter than usual, the latter withdrawn at half time. Celtic did improve in the second period when Furuhashi, Paulo Bernardo and Hatate were introduced to spruce things up.

Rodgers will hope such generosity will not be afforded to Dinamo Zagreb in Tuesday's Champions League tie, nor next weekend's Premier Sports Cup final against Rangers. With those two big matches on the horizon, and last Wednesday's sapping 1-0 win at Aberdeen in the legs of some of his players, his latest round of rotation was a risk worth taking. There were five alterations in total.

Hibs started the game brightly and ought to have taken the lead two minutes in. With the Celtic defence pushed up on their halfway line, Nectarios Triantis split them with an excellent through ball. Kuharevich sprinted to the pass and bore down on Schmeichel, only for the Dane to make a neat save with his foot.

Nicky Cadden and Elie Youan both had reasonable efforts moments after from range, but Celtic showed Hibs how to be lethal on six minutes. Johnston's ball across goal was begging to be netted and Engels - one of the players brought into the team - duly obliged.

McCowan then hit the bar from close range and Hibs goalkeeper Jordan Smith, who played very well, had to look lively to stop Adam Idah as Celtic threatened a second - although Newell could easily have equalised on 17 minutes, blazing over the bar from close in after being picked out by Lewis Miller.

Hibs then had another huge moment on 23 minutes. Celtic's offside line was not aligned and Kuharevich was sent clean through on goal yet again. However, his first touch was poor and Schmeichel narrowed the angle to save. The Ukrainian went off not long afterwards with a groin injury.

The game was even for the rest of the half, although Smith made a smart save from Idah in stoppage time to keep Hibs in it at the break.

Celtic were fast out of the blocks after the interval, with James Forrest on for Kuhn. Smith smothered Liam Scales' effort from close range, but the resistance did not last long. On 54 minutes, McCowan swung in a corner that Idah glanced into the danger area and the unfortunate Newell diverted it past his own keeper. Furuhashi clipped home on 84 minutes to add gloss to the scoreline.

Hibs had kept plugging away. Schmeichel made smart saves from Youan, Cadden, Josh Campbell and Miller. They clocked up nine shots on target - a rare stat for a visiting Scottish team at Celtic Park. The trick will be replicating such intent when Ross County visit Easter Road next weekend, where a win is sorely required.

Celtic, meanwhile, have far bigger fish to fry.

Player ratings

Celtic: Schmeichel 9; Johnston 7, Trusty 7, Scales 7, Taylor 7; Engels 7 (Hatate 4), McCowan 7 (Bernardo 5), McGregor 7; Maeda 6 (Yang 4), Idah 7 (Furuhashi 6), Kuhn 5 (Forrest 5).

Hibs: Smith 8; Miller 7 (C Cadden n/a), O’Hora 6, Bushiri 6, Iredale 6, Obita 6; Newell 6 (Gayle n/a), Triantis 6, Youan 6 (Hoilett n/a), N Cadden 6 (Boyle 3); Kukharevich 4 (Campbell 5).