Celtic ran riot at Rugby Park as they swatted Kilmarnock aside to continue their unbeaten start in the Scottish Premiership.
Kyogo Furuhashi netted an early opener before Jota’s 30-yard screamer and Mortiz Jenz’s acrobatic effort made it three by the break.
Carl Starfelt then scored his first Celtic goal with Georgios Giakoumakis’ overhead kick completing the rout.
Celtic are now 35 games unbeaten in the Scottish Premiership.
Meanwhile, Kilmarnock are still looking for their first win back in the top flight.
Ange Postecoglou admitted he felt no need to change the side which ended up winning in Dingwall last weekend.
His decision was justified within seven minutes as Greg Taylor – looking increasingly comfortable as Celtic’s first-choice left-back – slipped in Daizen Maeda. He cut back to the onrushing Kyogo, who finished a simple, straightforward move off the post.
Jota got the second, firing spectacularly into the top corner from distance – although there was a question mark over Sam Walker and whether the Killie keeper could have done better.
There wasn’t much he could do about the third though. Gathering a cleared corner, Callum McGregor fired the ball towards goal. It fell kindly to Jenz, who swivelled and hooked the ball over his shoulder to get his second Celtic goal in as many weeks.
It took the visitors longer to find their fourth, with Kilmarnock content to let the game fizzle out in the second half. That wasn’t to be though, as Walker’s save from a Celtic corner allowed Starfelt to prod home.
If there was debate about whether Jenz’s goal was an overhead kick, there was none about Giakoumakis’ effort. A crossed ball looped into the sky, the Greek striker watched it onto his foot and bicycle-kicked it through the legs of Walker for a classy fifth.
Man of the Match – Jota
Celtic look unstoppable as Killie cut to ribbons
There’s still a mighty long way to go this season, but Celtic have started in a fashion that will leave Postecoglou confident of retaining the title.
They were relentless at times, pinning Kilmarnock into their own 18-yard box and toying with them like a cat with a ball of string.
Of course, they are yet to face the test of two games a week, but that will start with the Champions League group stage in September. However, the depth they had on the bench this afternoon suggests rotation isn’t the threat it used to be.
It was an ominous message for the other teams in the league. Derek McInnes changed Kilmarnock’s formation to try and match Celtic in a 4-3-3. It simply didn’t work as individually Celtic’s stars showed too much quality in finding and creating space for themselves.
What’s next?
Celtic host Hearts next Sunday, whilst Kilmarnock travel to Dingwall the day before, with both sides in search for their first league win (both 15:00 BST).
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Kilmarnock
Starting XI
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Squad number20Player nameWalker
Average rating4.76
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Squad number25Player nameAlebiosu
Average rating5.10
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Squad number5Player nameTaylor
Average rating5.06
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Squad number2Player nameMayo
Average rating5.22
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Squad number3Player nameDorsett
Average rating4.95
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Squad number15Player nameMurray
Average rating4.82
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Squad number4Player namePower
Average rating4.32
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Squad number22Player nameDonnelly
Average rating4.43
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Squad number7Player nameMcKenzie
Average rating4.13
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Squad number28Player nameLafferty
Average rating3.54
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Squad number9Player nameShaw
Average rating4.41
Substitutes
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Squad number11Player nameArmstrong
Average rating4.60
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Squad number17Player nameLyons
Average rating3.93
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Squad number18Player nameWaters
Average rating4.04
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Squad number27Player nameCameron
Average rating3.88
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Squad number31Player namePolworth
Average rating3.75
Celtic
Starting XI
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Squad number1Player nameHart
Average rating7.76
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Squad number88Player nameJuranovic
Average rating8.05
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Squad number20Player nameCarter-Vickers
Average rating8.15
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Squad number6Player nameJenz
Average rating8.23
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Squad number3Player nameTaylor
Average rating8.23
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Squad number33Player nameO’Riley
Average rating7.90
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Squad number42Player nameMcGregor
Average rating7.75
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Squad number14Player nameTurnbull
Average rating7.48
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Squad number17Player nameJota
Average rating8.46
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Squad number8Player nameFuruhashi
Average rating8.17
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Squad number38Player nameMaeda
Average rating8.00
Substitutes
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Squad number4Player nameStarfelt
Average rating7.86
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Squad number7Player nameGiakoumakis
Average rating8.41
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Squad number11Player nameAbada
Average rating8.09
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Squad number13Player nameMooy
Average rating7.57
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Squad number49Player nameForrest
Average rating7.36
Line-ups
Kilmarnock
Formation 4-4-2
- 20Walker
- 25Alebiosu
- 5Taylor
- 2Mayo
- 3DorsettSubstituted forWatersat 40′minutes
- 15MurraySubstituted forArmstrongat 62′minutesBooked at 78mins
- 4PowerSubstituted forLyonsat 80′minutes
- 22DonnellyBooked at 42minsSubstituted forPolworthat 79′minutes
- 7McKenzieBooked at 21mins
- 28LaffertyBooked at 60minsSubstituted forCameronat 79′minutes
- 9Shaw
Substitutes
- 11Armstrong
- 17Lyons
- 18Waters
- 19Wright
- 21McInroy
- 23Sotona
- 27Cameron
- 31Polworth
- 50Woods
Celtic
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Hart
- 88Juranovic
- 20Carter-Vickers
- 6JenzSubstituted forStarfeltat 55′minutes
- 3Taylor
- 33O’Riley
- 42McGregorBooked at 85mins
- 14TurnbullSubstituted forMooyat 66′minutes
- 17Neves FilipeSubstituted forForrestat 80′minutes
- 8FuruhashiSubstituted forGiakoumakisat 66′minutes
- 38MaedaBooked at 61minsSubstituted forAbadaat 66′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Starfelt
- 7Giakoumakis
- 11Abada
- 13Mooy
- 16McCarthy
- 25Bernabei
- 31Siegrist
- 49Forrest
- 56Ralston
- Referee:
- David Dickinson
- Attendance:
- 9,162
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Kilmarnock 0, Celtic 5.
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Second Half ends, Kilmarnock 0, Celtic 5.
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James Forrest (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Brad Lyons (Kilmarnock).
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Attempt blocked. Calum Waters (Kilmarnock) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lewis Mayo.
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Corner, Kilmarnock. Conceded by Greg Taylor.
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Attempt blocked. Daniel Armstrong (Kilmarnock) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Liam Polworth.
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Foul by Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic).
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Innes Cameron (Kilmarnock) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Ryan Alebiosu.
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Offside, Kilmarnock. Calum Waters tries a through ball, but Innes Cameron is caught offside.
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Greg Taylor (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Liam Polworth (Kilmarnock).
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Callum McGregor (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Callum McGregor (Celtic).
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Liam Polworth (Kilmarnock) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Oli Shaw (Kilmarnock) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Daniel Armstrong with a cross.
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Foul by Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic).
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Innes Cameron (Kilmarnock) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Kilmarnock. Ash Taylor tries a through ball, but Oli Shaw is caught offside.