Reo Hatate scored his first goal for six months to kick-start Celtic’s 3-0 win over St Mirren.
The midfielder produced a classy finish as Celtic recovered from a slack and goalless first half to take control of the game early in the second period.
Hatate has endured an injury-hit 12 months but he stepped up his comeback from calf problems by easing the tension around Celtic Park.
Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah also netted as the cinch Premiership leaders moved four points ahead of Rangers, who have still to play twice before the split.
With Daizen Maeda absent with a hamstring problem, Celtic missed the wide player’s dynamism in a tepid first-half display.
Yang Hyun-jun was handed a start in Maeda’s place despite his poor defensive work when Rangers equalised at Ibrox last weekend. Callum McGregor started on the bench as Celtic continue to manage his Achilles problem while Maik Nawrocki replaced the injured Liam Scales.
The centre-back was fortunate to escape an early booking for a late aerial challenge on Toyosi Olusanya after misjudging the flight of the ball in his first appearance for seven weeks.
He was far from the only Celtic player to start slowly and referee Steven McLean again frustrated the visitors when he gave them a free-kick just as they broke two on one.
Ryan Strain came on for St Mirren after Elvis Bwomono went off with a head knock and the Australian was quickly booked for a foul on Yang.
That was a rare moment of progress for the South Korea winger though and Celtic only managed one shot in the first half, Matt O’Riley’s drilled effort blocked by Caolan Boyd-Munce.
Boyd-Munce was showing strength and composure in the Saints midfield and Alex Gogic was breaking out of defence to spring some counter-attacks.
The visitors looked the more threatening team in the opening half. Greg Kiltie had a great chance from Olusanya’s square ball but could not make the required contact. Strain had an effort blocked and Olusanya fired over from a tight angle.
Whatever Brendan Rodgers said at half-time had the desired effect as Celtic immediately stepped up several gears.
Furuhashi glanced a header wide when Cameron Carter-Vickers looked likely to score behind him but Celtic did not have long to wait for the breakthrough in the 52nd minute.
Alistair Johnston’s pass inside found Hatate and the Japan midfielder took a touch before quickly guiding the ball into the top corner with the outside of his boot from 16 yards.
Yang miskicked when presented with a good chance moments later but Furuhashi doubled the lead on the hour mark when he headed home Johnston’s cross from six yards.
Zach Hemming saved from Greg Taylor, Hatate and substitute Luis Palma as Celtic kept up the pressure.
St Mirren had seen Scott Tanser and Kiltie, through injury, go off at the start of the second half and the visitors were now struggling to impose themselves.
McGregor was among four substitutes who came on in the 71st minute and the home side were able to make a sixth replacement, James Forrest, because of Bwomono’s concussion.
The winger came close before being involved in the move that led to Idah nodding home from close range in the 86th minute as Celtic outnumbered the visiting defence.
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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