In a show oozing confidence and class the champions pulverised Partick with a performance as devastating as any put on this season during the now 45-game unbeaten domestic run.
It’s now looking more like how many will the Hoops score against Hearts on Sunday rather than if they will manage to avoid defeat and move to within a cup final win of an Invincible season.
This 5-0 romp was made to look easy by a Celtic team high on confidence and short on mercy.
Leigh Griffiths got the ton up from the spot to spark the rout – before blotting his copybook with a rant at being subbed.
He and his manager later appeared to kiss and make up on the park after the game.
Patrick Roberts fired a sensational double – vying with himself for goal of the game!
Tom Rogic chipped in as did Callum McGregor while sorry Thistle were happy to escape with losing just five on a night when they barely ventured into the Celtic half let alone the box.
Celtic stand at 103 points – knowing a win on Sunday will beat the record of Martin O’Neill’s side from 2001-02.
Another two goals will beat the modern day record of 105 set in 2003-04. In this mood they could do it at a canter.
No Mikael Lustig, Jozo Simunovic, Kieran Tierney, Stuart Armstrong or Moussa Dembele? No problem.
Celtic simply wheeled Erik Sviatchenko, Cristian Gamboa, Emilio Izaguirre and Rogic out of cold storage, relied on Griffiths up top and steamrollered Partick.
To say Thistle were bullied in the first half would be an understatement. This was the football equivalent of having your lunch money nicked and your head flushed down the toilet pan.
In just 10 minutes Tomas Cerny pulled off a fine save after the quick feet of Roberts created room for a shot on the turn.
A minute later and Roberts’ stunning reverse ball to McGregor sent him clean through on goal but he scuffed his shot.
Izaguirre was next to torment the Jags – James Forrest’s surging run ending with a cutback for the Honduran who slammed his shot against the post.
Thistle could barely get a kick of the ball and the opener came in 17 minutes from the spot.
Forrest’s run and cross was too deep for Griffiths, but his flick saw the ball land at the feet of Roberts.
The ball was killed instantly and his dancing feet bamboozled Callum Booth who chopped him to the ground.
It was an easy call for ref Andrew Dallas and Griffiths stroked home Celtic’s 100th goal of the season with some aplomb.
At that stage it looked bleak for Thistle and remote hopes of a first home win against Celtic since January 1994 were killed off completely with a second goal.
This time Griffiths was the architect with a mazy run from 50 yards out, and from his unselfish cutback Rogic was on hand to stab the ball in off the far post.
Cerny needed minor treatment after colliding with the goalscorer, but the real danger was hurt to Thistle’s pride if Celtic continued in this vein.
Thistle’s only effort on goal in the first half came in 38 minutes – Liam Lindsay exasperated that he didn’t make more of a free header from six yards which bounced into the arms of Craig Gordon.
Celtic shrugged off the near miss by adding a stunning third before the break.
Forrest wriggled past a pack of defenders. With the route to goal blocked the ball was recycled to Roberts at the edge of the box.
He took a touch, looked up and fizzed a cracking shot high past Cerny from 22 yards.
“Celtic, Celtic sign him up” was the chant from the Hoops support and it’s hard to argue with the logic.
Thistle brought on Mark Ridgers and Ryan Edwards at half-time, probably wishing they didn’t have to sub crocked keeper Cerny and Abdul Osman to do so. Had Thistle played with 13 men it might have been more of a contest.
Kolo Toure, Sinclair and Nir Bitton were given run-outs, but the reaction of Griffiths as he made way for Sinclair was baffling – his decision to mouth off at boss Rodgers might not be the smartest of moves ahead of a title party and cup final.
There was very little else dumb about Celtic last night.
The fourth goal in 82 minutes was terrific – McGregor’s run ended with a shot which smacked off the underside of the bar and crossed the line before bouncing out.
And the fifth? Well it was another cracker from the left boot of Roberts – stepping inside to curl one over Ridgers and into the postage stamp.
