Stoke have sacked manager Alex Neil with the club sitting 20th in the Sky Bet Championship.

The Potters were beaten 1-0 at home by fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, which was a fourth-straight defeat in a six-match winless run.

Neil was appointed at the end of August 2022 after leaving Sunderland, but the former Norwich and Preston boss was unable to mount a sustained promotion challenge, with Stoke eventually finishing 16th last season.

Martin Canning has also left his position, with Paul Gallagher installed as caretaker manager ahead of the home game against Swansea on Tuesday night.

Alex Morris and former Potters defender Ryan Shawcross are also part of the interim backroom team.

Stoke chairman John Coates said on the club’s official website: “Alex is a man of absolute integrity who has given his all for Stoke City and we would like to thank him for his hard work during his time with the club.

“We are grateful for the building blocks he has helped put in place in bringing together a group of players in whom we have a huge amount of faith regarding their ability to turn things around this season and who can help us achieve longer-term success.

“However, with the way the results have been so far, we have made the difficult decision to seek a new direction for the team at this time.

“Nothing matters to me more than the success of our club and we are now working towards the appointment of Alex’s successor.”

Fulham boss Marco Silva hailed his side’s 5-0 thrashing of West Ham as even better than the display that had seen them beat Nottingham Forest by the same scoreline four days earlier.

The floodgates have certainly opened for the Whites in recent weeks, with David Moyes’ men the latest side to be put to the sword as five different scorers struck in a fine home win.

Raul Jimenez opened the scoring to take his personal tally to four in five games having previously not scored a Premier League goal since March 2022, when he was a Wolves player.

Willian and Tosin Adarabioyo goals then had the hosts coasting at the break before a fine effort from substitute Harry Wilson and late effort from Carlos Vinicius added the gloss.

Jimenez’s upturn in form has dovetailed nicely with Fulham’s as a whole – in their previous three outings heading into this London derby they had scored three to beat Wolves, three in a losing effort at Liverpool and five to down Forest in midweek.

Silva said he had “no doubts” that the overall performance of his side eclipsed Wednesday’s win, adding: “It was a brilliant performance from us. A great one at a very, very good level.

“We were the best team on the pitch, not just because we won 5-0 but also the way we performed from the first minute and the players understood the plan and executed it so well. The way we did it was almost a perfect afternoon for us.

“First of all of course, confidence builds confidence and the best example of this is Raul – since he scored the first goal against Villa.

“We are not really different now, we changed and adjusted some things but the faith in our players was always there.”

While he was able to celebrate 10 goals across the last two games, Silva was also delighted his side kept two clean sheets as Fulham moved into the top half of the table.

“I think it is crucial,” he added.

“Apart from the goals it has been the best feeling, it was crucial this afternoon and I told them at half-time when we were winning 3-0 that the main goal was to keep playing in our way, score the fourth if you can but the clean sheet has to be the challenge for the second half.

“It is really important to create this mentality, try to win games but also try to be as solid as you can…I’m really pleased for it and it was one of the best feelings we got.”

West Ham boss David Moyes bemoaned the short turnaround between Thursday night’s comeback win at Tottenham and their trip to Craven Cottage.

“I think just the carry over from the game,” he said when asked why he felt his side had fallen to a heavy loss.

“We used up too much energy in midweek and we weren’t able to get ourselves back, another Thursday fixture. No excuse for the result.

“(It is) disappointing but we have had two difficult away games this week, three points from those two games is not a bad return.”

The Hammers have had to get used to Thursday Europa League games followed by Sunday Premier League kick-offs this season but Moyes believes having a squad carrying a few injuries has not helped.

“We haven’t normally had to try and play all the same players, we could have easily had a game on Wednesday but we didn’t – it was Thursday.

“(Lucas) Paqueta has been carrying an injury, there is an illness in the camp so we have had to deal with that as well.”

There were some big storylines on a rain-soaked weekend of cinch Premiership action.

Celtic’s lead at the top was cut to five points following defeat at Kilmarnock, 24 hours after Rangers beat Dundee 3-1.

St Mirren and Aberdeen also recorded significant wins to get back on track, while Hibernian moved up to fourth in the table.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five things we learned from the weekend’s action.

Brendan Rodgers’ Rugby Park strife continues

Rodgers suffered his first league defeat of his second spell in charge when Killie came from behind to win 2-1 thanks to Matty Kennedy’s late strike. The Celtic manager suffered his first domestic cup defeat in Scotland at the same venue in August. In two spells at Parkhead, Rodgers has now suffered 10 domestic defeats and four of them have come at Rugby Park.

Rangers’ absentee list grows

Ibrox boss Philippe Clement does not have his selection worries to seek ahead of a big week which includes a Europa League decider against Real Betis and the Viaplay Cup final against Aberdeen. Midfielders Nico Raskin, Ryan Jack and Tom Lawrence and striker Danilo missed the victory over Dundee and midfielder Jose Cifuentes will be suspended for the Hampden clash after being sent off for a challenge on Dundee goalscorer Amadou Bakayoko, although Clement is considering an appeal.

Late shows saving Stuart Kettlewell

The Motherwell manager might have been facing serious questions over his future had Mika Biereth not headed a stoppage-time equaliser against St Johnstone. It was a 13th game without a win but the Steelmen were well worth the draw and Kettlewell will surely live to fight another day. It is increasingly clear how important the late goals are though – six of Motherwell’s 15 points have come from 90th-minute goals and a further two points from an 85th-minute goal.

Livingston are in freefall

David Martindale’s side suffered a seventh-consecutive loss when Martin Boyle hit the only goal for Hibernian. The run is a long way short of Livingston’s 13-game losing streak on their way to relegation from the top flight in 2006 but they have now slipped five points adrift. St Johnstone survived the past two seasons after eight and then six-game losing runs and Martindale retains belief his side can similarly bounce back.

VAR’s scope again comes into question

Dundee manager Tony Docherty felt the video assistants should not have advised a penalty review and presented referee Kevin Clancy with only a partial picture of a shirt pull on Rangers striker Abdallah Sima. Docherty said: “The image presented to Kevin Clancy favours the penalty being given but the reality is, there is bustling in the box, Sima has hold of Aaron Donnelly’s shirt and Kevin Clancy deemed that to be OK. It’s difficult because we are re-refereeing games. Kevin Clancy’s positioning is good and it’s not a clear and obvious error. My problem with it is the image he gets shown. If I see that image I’d give a penalty-kick but you need to take it into context.” Rangers took the lead from the spot and have now been awarded eight penalties in their last nine Premiership games, several of them for shirt pulls which have been highlighted by VAR officials.

Everton’s second win in four days kept Sean Dyche’s side climbing the Premier League table as a toothless Chelsea found Goodison Park to be as difficult a place as Newcastle in a 2-0 defeat.

This may not have had the flourish of Thursday, when the hosts scored three goals in the last 11 minutes, but the manner of victory would have been no less pleasing to the Toffees boss.

Having kept the visitors at bay relatively comfortably, Abdoulaye Doucoure struck early in the second half and substitute Lewis Dobbin drilled home his first Premier League goal in added time as Everton moved four points clear of the bottom three despite their points deduction.

Chelsea had 71 per cent possession but familiar failings up front cost them and Mauricio Pochettino’s side have now won just twice in eight league games.

One downside to the afternoon for the hosts was fifth bookings of the season for defender Jarrad Branthwaite and midfielder Idrissa Gueye. The pair will be suspended for the trip to strugglers Burnley.

The loss of the former – excellent again in his partnership with James Tarkowski – will be a particular blow as Dyche is not blessed with centre-back options. Unused substitute Ben Godfrey’s only Premier League appearance came in the 89th minute in September while Michael Keane was not even in the matchday squad.

But this Everton team thrives on adversity, as they have shown since the 10-point deduction for breaching financial regulations last month.

Since being plunged into the bottom three following the punishment by an independent commission they have taken nine points from a possible 12.

Their extended run is 13 points from six with just one defeat and without the penalty Everton would be above their opponents in 10th.

The first half was significant only for injuries to both teams’ starting right-backs – Reece James and Ashley Young – a Cole Palmer booking for diving and Jordan Pickford saving the only shot on target from Palmer’s 20-yard curler.

Gueye was replaced by the fit-again Amadou Onana at half-time and buoyed by the confidence of Thursday’s win and the fact the visitors had not really hurt them, Everton set about formulating a response.

Winger Dwight McNeil, who has had a growing influence in recent games, had a low shot tipped around the post by Robert Sanchez before threading a pass through to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Although the England international’s attempt was charged down by Sanchez, who clattered into the striker in the process and later departed injured, the loose ball rolled to Doucoure and he drilled home his fifth of the season.

Branthwaite’s foul and booking gave Chelsea a free-kick 20 yards out but Pickford comfortably held Palmer’s low, drilled effort.

Chelsea sent on Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson to boost their attacking options but Pickford continued to be under-employed.

That was in part due to the increasing resilience of the defence in front of him, with bodies being thrown in all directions to keep out the threat.

“You can stick you points deduction up your a***” rang out in the closing stages at Goodison Park, where late substitute Dobbin wrapped up victory in the second minute of stoppage time.

Manchester City survived a scare as they recovered from going a goal behind at half-time to put down a brave fight by Luton and battle to a 2-1 Premier League victory at Kenilworth Road.

The champions had been without a victory in four games and that run looked like stretching in the most unlikely circumstances when Elijah Adebayo headed in for Rob Edwards’ side on the stroke of the interval.

City were missing the injured Erling Haaland – with in-form winger Jeremy Doku also ruled out – and looked set to remain seven points off the Premier League summit as Luton bravely held their lead beyond the hour mark.

Then, Pep Guardiola’s side burst to life to revive their title defence, with two goals in three minutes from Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish turning the game on its head as a famous upset was narrowly bypassed.

City came at Luton from the off. Inside two minutes, Phil Foden broke into the box down the left and stung the palms of Thomas Kaminski, who beat his effort away well. From the rebound, Silva lashed wide with a hurried miscue when greater composure was required.

Rodri was next to test Luton’s goalkeeper, drawing a fine one-handed save after unleashing a fierce drive from 20 yards, before the Belgian made his third and finest save of the opening half-hour, diving low to keep out Foden’s bullet effort with a firm wrist.

City though were getting closer. Julian Alvarez dinked one wide at the near post, getting on the end of Grealish’s intelligent ball into the six-yard box but finding only the side netting.

But the longer Luton held out, the more frustrated City appeared to become.

The final 10 minutes of the first half saw Guardiola’s side reduced to speculative efforts from outside the box, either closed down by the hosts’ tireless defence who never let City rest on the ball, or sailing harmlessly behind Kaminski’s goal.

Then came the moment that stunned the champions. It began in midfield with Ross Barkley, showing sublime strength and skill to hold the ball, spin and release Alfie Doughty racing down the right.

He moved it on to Andros Townsend, who checked from his right foot to his left, lifted his head and – with a raking cross – found Adebayo rising at the far post between Kyle Walker and Ruben Dias to head Luton into the lead from a yard out.

The hosets had come within seconds of beating Liverpool and drawing with Arsenal here this season and looked determined to finally earn a win against one of the league’s top sides and to put pressure on 17th-placed Everton in their bid to escape the relegation zone.

On the hour mark, Dias rattled the crossbar from Nathan Ake’s cut-back in what was the visitors’ first real opening since falling behind.

Within minutes they were level and it was the architect of Luton’s goal Barkley who was at fault, losing the ball in midfield to Rodri who drove at the heart of the defence.

He collided with Tom Lockyer who had come across to challenge and as the ball broke loose, it was pounced upon by Silva, barley glancing up at the goal before thumping it impudently first time inside the far post.

Seconds later it was 2-1 and it was the simplest finish for Grealish. Alvarez’s low cross evaded the desperate lunge of Teden Mengi, arriving at Grealish’s feet six yards out.

With Luton’s defence breached, he had time to take a touch, decide on his spot and stick the ball calmly between Kaminski’s legs to the relief of visiting supporters behind the goal.

Luton’s spirit was unbroken and they sought an instant riposte. Barkley ran round Foden and Mateo Kovacic and sent a fizzing right-footed drive inches past the post.

From that point, City were never comfortable and Luton did not look beaten until the very end, but the champions hung on to end their barren run.

Fulham hit five goals for the second time in a week as they thrashed West Ham at Craven Cottage to move into the top half of the Premier League.

The floodgates have certainly opened for the Whites in recent weeks, with David Moyes’ men the latest side to be put to the sword as five different scorers struck in a fine 5-0 home win – just four days after Fulham beat Nottingham Forest by the same scoreline.

Raul Jimenez opened the scoring to take his personal tally to four in five games having previously not scored a Premier League goal since March 2022, when he was a Wolves player.

Willian and Tosin Adarabioyo goals then had the hosts coasting at the break before a fine effort from substitute Harry Wilson and late effort from Carlos Vinicius added the gloss.

Jimenez’s upturn in form has dovetailed nicely with Fulham’s as a whole – in their previous three outings heading into this London derby they had scored three to beat Wolves, three in a losing effort at Liverpool and five to down Forest in midweek.

A rasping free-kick from James Ward-Prowse had Bernd Leno diving across his goal to make an early save, but that would be as good as it got for West Ham.

It was Fulham who missed the first gilt-edged chance of the afternoon, Jimenez picking out Willian with a perfectly-weighted ball over the top of the West Ham defence only for the forward to shoot tamely at Lukasz Fabianski.

With the hosts enjoying more of the ball, they took the lead as Jimenez’s fine run of form in front of goal continued as he crashed home a header from Joao Palhinha’s cross to the back post.

The lead was doubled just after the half-hour as Willian curled home into the far corner after possession had been recycled following Fabianski’s save from an Alex Iwobi strike.

Bowen passed up a decent opportunity to get West Ham on the board as he shot straight at Leno when picked out in space in front of goal.

The visitors were struggling at both ends as an Iwobi half-volley deflected off Aaron Cresswell to flash wide of the post only for Adarabioyo to rise high and steer the resulting corner past Fabianski to extend Fulham’s advantage.

There could have been another before the interval but Fabianksi’s outstretched leg prevented Iwobi’s cross from reaching its target.

While Willian was forced off injured at half-time, replaced by Wilson, Moyes made two alterations to his West Ham side as he introduced Emerson and Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Wilson should have scored 10 minutes after the restart as a slick move ended with the midfielder inside the box but unable to guide his effort beyond Fabianski.

He more than made amends as he hit the fourth goal on the hour, curling a superb 20-yard strike beyond the reach of Fabianski to send Craven Cottage into raptures.

Moyes made further changes, more likely to rest the weary legs of the likes of Mohammed Kudus and Kurt Zouma, and they did dominate possession in the latter part of the game but still managed to ship another late goal.

Harrison Reed, whose own goal settled the corresponding fixture in favour of the visitors last season, picked out Wilson with a raking pass forward and the Wales international showed an unselfish touch to square for Vinicius to complete the rout with a tap-in.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers admitted his side were too negative in their passing in the second half at Rugby Park after Kilmarnock came from behind to win 2-1.

Matt O’Riley netted from close range to earn Celtic a deserved half-time lead but Killie had missed two excellent chances and they created plenty more opportunities after the interval.

They were eventually rewarded when Nat Phillips converted Brad Lyons’ cross into his own net in the 75th minute and the home side took further confidence before Matty Kennedy finished off a counter-attack with three minutes left.

Rodgers said: “I thought in the first half we were very good. We played at a good speed and created opportunities. We could have maybe have been more than 1-0 up by half-time.

“But in the second half we never got started. You expect a wee bit of pressure for 10 or 15 minutes, which we weathered at set-pieces and corners. But we never passed the ball.

“We were under a bit more pressure, sure, but you have to be resistant to that pressure. We weren’t able to make passes to take us up the pitch and that was the biggest disappointment of the second half. We couldn’t sustain any attacking threat in the game.

“When you play Kilmarnock it’s quite a direct game so you have to be able to win the first, second and third balls. But we didn’t do that.”

Rodgers was angrier than he had ever been as a manager when his side trailed against St Johnstone at half-time seven days earlier before coming back to win. But he was more measured in his response after a first cinch Premiership defeat of the season.

“The players know themselves,” Rodgers said. “We spoke after the game about how this isn’t how we want to do.

“In the second half we played their game instead of playing our game. I thought we got rid of the ball in the second half instead of passing it. And there is a big difference.

“We ended up being too negative in our passing. If you play a team that’s pressing and right up against you there, you’ve got to pass the ball forward. Because that forward pass eliminates pressure. And we weren’t able, for some reason, to do that.”

Rodgers has now lost 10 domestic games over two spells as Celtic manager and four of them have been at Rugby Park.

“I thought the pitch was all right for an AstroTurf surface,” he said. “When you get rain, it makes it slick, and it was actually good, but in the British game you have to have that adaptability.”

Killie manager Derek McInnes had harsh words for his players at half-time in a bid to get them to the levels they showed when beating Celtic in the Viaplay Cup in August.

“I had to give the players a wee reminder of the team that we need to be, particularly at Rugby Park, the team we needed to be against Celtic,” he said.

“Celtic came and dominated the ball and dictated the play. They were almost playing with us really, with the ball. They were just kind of coaxing us into mistakes.

“Even when we got the ball we looked unsure of ourselves.

“We had to be braver, we had to take a step forward and I thought Stuart Findlay was immense at the back. We had to defend a lot of space behind us and with that comes that element of risk.

“We had big performances second half when it was the total reverse of the first. It was everything I wanted from my team.

“I thought we passed up too many opportunities before we did score and thankfully when we did get the goal you could just sniff the victory, you could feel it. More importantly my players felt it and thankfully we got the second goal that I felt we deserved.

“I’m delighted we managed to turn it round because coming from behind is always difficult when you play against a team like Celtic.”

Search For Glory toughed out victory in the Singletons Supervalu Stayers Novice Hurdle at Cork, completing a treble on the card for jockey Jack Kennedy.

A field of five runners went to post for Grade Three contest, and all of them were still in with some sort of a chance rounding the home turn.

With the strong-travelling Mahon’s Way checking out quickly under pressure, and What Path also faltering in the latter stages of the three-mile contest, it was course and distance winner Solitary Man who threw down the biggest challenge to Gordon Elliott’s 7-4 favourite.

But in truth, Search For Glory was already winning the argument on the approach to the final flight and he asserted on the run-in to score by three lengths.

“He stays well, jumped and travelled great and is a progressive horse. He is a staying horse and hopefully he keeps going the right way now,” said Kennedy.

The in-form rider, fresh from a double at Navan on Saturday, had earlier won the first two races aboard Joseph O’Brien’s Harsh and the Elliott-trained No Time To Wait respectively.

Having finished third on his jumping debut at Punchestown a fortnight ago, Harsh justified cramped odds of 2-5 with an eight-length success in the Bar One Racing ‘Bet 10 Euros Get 50 Euros Sign Up Offer’ 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle.

No Time To Wait was a 3-1 winner of the Bar One Racing ‘Guaranteed Multiples All Shops’ Maiden Hurdle, with 4-6 shot Western Diego disappointing in fifth.

Of Harsh, Kennedy said: “His last jump was his best and it took him a while to warm into it. Some horses don’t really take to those rubber hurdles but he is a nice horse.

“He is learning away the whole time and it was probably a good race he finished third in at Punchestown. It was nice to get today done.”

Cafe Con Leche was a 40-1 winner of the Bar One Racing “Guaranteed Overnight Prices” Handicap Hurdle for trainer Charles Byrnes and owner-rider Anthony Bustin.

Byrnes said: “I’m delighted for Anthony who works for me and he claimed the horse.

“I recommended him for €10,000 as he was looking for a horse to ride and I thought this fella would give him plenty of fun.”

The concluding Greenvalley Transport Novice Handicap Hurdle went the way of the John McConnell-trained West Away (10-1), ridden by Ben Harvey.

El Fabiolo kicked off the new campaign as he finished the last with a predictably dominant display in the Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase at Cork.

The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old was flawless as a novice over fences last season, winning each of his four starts, including a brilliant triumph over Jonbon in the Arkle at Cheltenham.

With Jonbon having advertised his Queen Mother Champion Chase claims with victory in the Tingle Creek at Sandown on Saturday, it was over to El Fabiolo 24 hours later and he did not disappoint.

Mullins had saddled nine of the last 10 winners of the Hilly Way, with Un De Sceaux, Chacun Pour Soi and the currently sidelined dual Champion Chase hero Energumene among those on the roll of honour.

El Fabiolo was a 1-5 shot to add his name to the list and after travelling well on the heels of the pacesetters for much of the extended two-mile contest, Paul Townend allowed him to take over before four fences from the finish and he quickly took control.

Fil Dor did his best to keep tabs on the leader in the home straight, but despite a peck on landing after jumping the final obstacle, El Fabiolo never looked like coming to grief and was driven out on the run-in to prevail by four and three-quarter lengths.

Betfair and Paddy Power left the winner unchanged at 10-11 for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March, with old rival Jonbon rated his biggest threat at 5-2.

Mullins said: “I was a little worried as I had five other runners today and none of them shone so I was thinking this could be one of those days, but he got the job done.

“He was workmanlike and was very free with Paul over the first three fences. He didn’t get too high (in jumping) and Paul was trying to not let his head go and didn’t want him running too free.

“He relaxed at the second fence down the back straight and was able to do things properly. If he needed a race, Jack Kennedy (on runner-up Fil Dor) was there to test him and he did.”

There is a possibility of a pre-Festival clash between El Fabiolo and Jonbon, with Mullins suggesting a trip across the Irish Sea could be next on the agenda for his charge.

He added: “Jonbon did his job nicely, we got the job done today and we all have to get to Cheltenham.

“I don’t where we’ll go now – we’ll look at Christmas as well, but he will probably go to Ascot for the Clarence House (in January).”

The champion trainer also provided an update on Energumene’s well-being, saying: “He is in great shape considering and while he is out for the season, hopefully will be out at some stage.”

El Fabiolo kicked off the new campaign as he finished the last with a predictably dominant display in the Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase at Cork.

The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old was flawless as a novice over fences last season, winning each of his four starts, including a brilliant triumph over Jonbon in the Arkle at Cheltenham.

With Jonbon having advertised his Queen Mother Champion Chase claims with victory in the Tingle Creek at Sandown on Saturday, it was over to El Fabiolo 24 hours later and he did not disappoint.

Mullins had saddled nine of the last 10 winners of the Hilly Way, with Un De Sceaux, Chacun Pour Soi and the currently sidelined dual Champion Chase hero Energumene among those on the roll of honour.

El Fabiolo was a 1-5 shot to add his name to the list and after travelling well on the heels of the pacesetters for much of the extended two-mile contest, Paul Townend allowed him to take over before four fences from the finish and he quickly took control.

Fil Dor did his best to keep tabs on the leader in the home straight, but despite a peck on landing after jumping the final obstacle, El Fabiolo never looked like coming to grief and was driven out on the run-in to prevail by four and three-quarter lengths.

Paddy Power left the winner unchanged at 10-11 for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March, with old rival Jonbon rated his biggest threat at 5-2.

Silent Approach provided her trainer, owner and breeder Con O’Keeffe with the biggest success of his career as she registered a shock victory in the O’Flynn Group Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase at Cork.

Although a winner on her chasing debut at Galway last month, the five-year-old faced a huge rise in class for this Grade Two contest and was priced up accordingly at 33-1.

For much of the extended two-mile contest, things appeared to be going to script, with 6-5 favourite Harmonya Maker setting out to make all the running and provide jockey Jack Kennedy with a fourth successive victory on the card.

However, she hung left approaching the first fence on the second circuit and halfway down the back straight Silent Approach was given her head and allowed to stride on in front by Danny Mullins.

To her credit, Harmonya Maker managed to stay in the fight until the approach to the final fence, after which Silent Approach stamped her authority and pulled three and a quarter lengths clear.

“It is a great win and I must dedicate it to my wife Claire, who lost her mother Peggy last week. She was always the first one to ring me after we won a race, so this is great for Claire and my family,” said O’Keeffe.

“We have been jumping hurdles all year, but the lads have been saying to jump fences and she is a fantastic jumper who is improving all the time. We were hopeful, as she was in great form and Danny gave her a fantastic ride.

“We have had the family for three generations and you could write what I know about training horses on a postage stamp, as breeding is our game. I’m delighted for Tadhg (O’Sullivan, co-owner), who has been with me with our horses from the beginning.”

Matty Kennedy scored a late winner as Kilmarnock inflicted a second defeat on Celtic this season.

The Hoops started in dominant fashion in Ayrshire as they looked to avenge their Viaplay Cup loss and Matt O’Riley gave them a 33rd-minute lead with his ninth goal of the season from close range.

However, Killie came very close either side of the goal and they were eventually rewarded for their improvement when Nat Phillips turned Brad Lyons’ cross into his own net in the 75th minute.

Danny Armstrong then slipped Kennedy through as Killie counter-attacked down the right-hand side and the winger’s effort went in off Joe Hart.

Brendan Rodgers had suffered his first domestic cup defeat as Celtic manager at Rugby Park in August and the latest loss on the artificial surface was the first cinch Premiership defeat of his second spell in charge. It leaves Celtic five points ahead of Rangers but with one more game played.

Phillips started after Cameron Carter-Vickers failed to shake off a hamstring concern, but Rodgers otherwise retained the team that began Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Hibernian. That meant starts for Tomoki Iwata, Mikey Johnston and Oh Hyeon-gyu.

Rodgers had told Johnston he had to “do more” following the midweek game. Johnston had a hand in the first goal and could have had an assist but for Oh’s poor finishing, however the winger’s delivery was erratic during his 70 minutes on the park.

Lyons and Liam Donnelly brushed off knocks to start for Killie, who were pinned into their defensive third for the first 10 minutes. O’Riley had two shots stopped, Callum McGregor’s low cross just evaded Johnston and Oh had a header saved.

Celtic continued to create chances. Oh volleyed over after Liam Scales’ ball over the top and the South Korean should have converted Johnston’s low cross before Luis Palma hit the post from a tight angle.

Killie should also have scored from their first chance. Lyons’ cross found Armstrong at the back post but the winger hit the junction of post and bar from six yards.

Celtic were ahead within a minute. McGregor took three players out the game when he turned on to his right foot 20 yards out and forced Will Dennis down to his left with a shot. The goalkeeper could only parry and O’Riley was on hand to convert the rebound.

The action continued as Celtic survived a double chance moments later. Hart got down well to deny Armstrong and Alistair Johnston threw himself at Corrie Ndaba’s follow-up to block what looked a certain goal.

The opening stages of the second half were as one-sided as the first but this time in the home team’s favour. Hart denied Ndaba and Robbie Deas headed just wide amid sustained aerial pressure before the Celtic goalkeeper got down to clutch Armstrong’s curling effort.

O’Riley and Palma threatened after Celtic counter-attacks as the incessant rain got heavier and Kilmarnock appeared to have lost their cutting edge but they took a major lift from the equaliser.

Stuart Findlay had an effort saved after another ball into the box and substitute Marley Watkins scooped just over from a better chance, before Kennedy found the net in the 87th minute.

Celtic brought on Kyogo Furuhashi and Dennis pulled off an excellent stop from the Japan striker 90 seconds after Kennedy’s goal.

The home fans howled with derision when the fourth official signalled there would be eight minutes of stoppage time but Killie comfortably saw them out.

Options remain fluid for Elixir De Nutz and Eldorado Allen following their fine displays at Newbury.

Both rising 10 in the new year, the Joe Tizzard-trained duo seem to be in rude health as they approach the veteran stage of their careers.

Elixir De Nutz was a Grade One winner over hurdles in his novice days, but has formed a great association with the trainer’s nephew Freddie Gingell this term, with the pairing following up their Haldon Gold Cup triumph by defying a career-high rating in the Jim Joel Memorial Trophy at Newbury.

Now rated 156, there is little wiggle room left in the handicap ranks, with a return to Graded company a possibility in 2024.

“It was a strong performance (at Newbury) and he seems to be in the form of his life,” said Tizzard.

“He was a really exciting horse as a youngster and then injuries plagued him and he has gradually built himself back up over the last few years.

“If you saw him (the morning after), he was loving life, he was fresh as paint and he’s really going in the right direction.

“Fred seems to get a real good tune out of him and he has done since the first day he schooled him – and it’s lovely to have an older horse like him doing what he’s doing.

“He’s nearly going to have his hand forced and I guess we’ll cross that bridge later. I was thinking of going Desert Orchid with him, but he’s obviously going to have a lot of weight in that and the door might just be open for different things.

“I’m quite keen to keep him in smaller-field races, he seems to like that – and if that forces us into Graded company, then it does.”

Meanwhile, Tizzard was delighted with another profitable run from Eldorado Allen following his fourth-placed finish in the Coral Gold Cup.

His most recent victory, and arguably his finest hour, came when winning the Denman Chase in 2022 and since then he has consistently run in some of the biggest races on the calendar.

However, with his rating beginning to fall, there are plenty of options open for the Venn Farm inmate moving forward and Tizzard believes he deserves a return to the scoresheet in the near future.

“I was really, really pleased with him and the handicapper has certainly given him a chance to be competitive in these big races,” continued Tizzard.

“Where we go is tricky, especially with all this rain that has come. He is still in the Welsh National and that will be open for discussion, but I’ll probably enter him in the Grand National as well, so he could be putting himself in that picture.

“He’s not the easiest horse to place where we think he can win, but he’s ultra-consistent, places in all these big races and doesn’t owe us a lot.

“He’s picked up a lot of prize-money along the way and at the turn of the year, he’s a veteran as well and that would open up another window – especially off his mark now.

“There’s a lot to think about and it would be really nice to get his head in front again, as the horse deserves it. Although he’s picking up lots of prize-money, he deserves to win one, so we will pick and choose a bit.”