Celtic gamble pays off as Mika Baur moment and big intervention from debutant keep streak going

This was not an altogether straightforward evening for the champions in Perth, with manager Martin O'Neill making five changes to his team - including resting key defender Cameron Carter-Vickers and putting man-of-the-moment Camilo Duran on the bench. There was also a debut for goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, who was picked ahead of Viljami Sinisalo.

Saints competed admirably and would have taken the lead had Johnstone not made an excellent save from Joel Cotterill. After an even first half, Celtic nosed ahead on 52 minutes through Mika Baur and did enough over the course of the second half to merit the victory.

The result leaves Celtic five points clear of second-placed Rangers at the top of the Premiership, although both have played a game more than Hearts, a further point behind in third. After winning their final seven league games last season, this 13-match streak is quite an achievement under O'Neill.

The experienced coach took a slight gamble in making so many alterations but with two Old Firm matches and European football on the horizon, O'Neill needs to keep certain individuals fresh. Centre-half Carter-Vickers was left in Glasgow due to stiffness and Dane Murray took his place in the back four. While Celtic didn't cough up many opportunities, they didn't look as secure without the American.

Kasper Hogh returned to the front line after injury and Sebastian Tounekti and Haissem Hassan were deployed on the wings. They were lively, although too often errant with their final ball. Oliver Sorensen was handed a first start in midfield.

With three stands devoted to the away fans, this had the feeling of a home match for Celtic and they were quickly on the front foot, the first chance falling to Hassan on five minutes. Saints keeper Toby Steward, who played well throughout, was forced to turn his whipped near-post effort away for a corner.

It was, however, Celtic's only shot on target in a first half where Saints gave as good as they got and created the best opportunity in 19 minutes.

A Matty Todd cross from the right was over-hit, but it landed to onrushing left-back Enis Alic, who had joined the attack. He fired a low delivery back into the penalty box and the unmarked Cotterill strode on to it and sent in a fierce shot that required strong fingertips from Johnstone to turn it over. It was a very good save.

St Johnstone were not overwhelmed by the champions being on their patch and they were making life uncomfortable for the Celtic backline by pressing them in possession.

Celtic had a couple of sniffs before the half was out. Callum McGregor's close-range shot was blocked by Josh Campbell, the Hibs loanee who was making his debut, while Cheick Diabate won a foot race with Hassan to stop the Egyptian bursting through and then made an excellent headed clearance from under his own crossbar.

Diabate could not keep those levels up. The big centre-half was beaten too easily by Hassan as Celtic created the first chance of the second half and engineered the breakthrough on 52 minutes, with the winger skipping beyond the defender and squaring for Baur to net from a few yards out.

Celtic weren't able to turn the screw, although they were now clearly the dominant team. Hassan had a goal disallowed on 66 minutes when he volleyed home from Hogh's headed cutback, only to learn that the ball had drifted out of play prior to that. Five minutes later, the former Oviedo man saw a deft effort parried by Steward.

O'Neill introduced Duran for Hassan a few minutes later as well as James Forrest, who was next to test Steward after chopping past a couple of Saints defenders.

St Johnstone had been very quiet in attacking sense but on 80 minutes, Alic strode forward and unleashed a zipping effort that went just wide of the post, with Johnstone's efforts to reach it causing him to cramp up.

Hogh ought to have put the game to bed on 83 minutes when Reece McAlear was cheaply robbed of the ball by substitute Benjamin Nygren, who subsequently played him in. The Dane's effort was too close to Steward and he saved well with his foot.

Saints had one final chance of their own right on 90 minutes when Macaulay Tait's cross found Josh Fowler ten yards out, but his strike was straight at Johnstone. At the other end, Steward made a really good save in stoppage time from Shim Mheuka. It would have added gloss to the win.