Celtic 6 Hearts 1

By Chris Roberts, PA Sport

Celtic gave luckless defender Alan Stubbs the good luck present he requested while sending out a chilling warning to their title rivals with a deadly display to sink the Edinburgh outfit.

Following a week of sadness at the club - in which Stubbs discovered the cancer he thought he had beaten had returned - his team-mates could have been forgiven for having their minds on matters elsewhere.

But the players did not disappoint him despite going down to Colin Cameron's early opener.

Instead, in true championship fashion Celtic came back with spirit, determination and flamboyance to leave managerless Hearts reeling with goals from Joos Valgaeren, Lubo Moravcik, two from Henrik Larsson, Johan Mjallby and Stilian Petrov.

The victory sent out an ominous message to their title rivals and in particular their Glasgow neighbours, who they meet next week in a do-or-die clash for the Ibrox outfit.

Celtic show no signs of relenting and started confidently with Petrov going close in the fifth minute.

The Bulgarian burst through a crowded penalty box before hitting a fierce strike that the impressive Hearts goalkeeper Antti Niemi did well to save.

This was always going to a busy afternoon for the visiting keeper and he again had to make a good save in the 12th minute to save Moravcik's long-range effort.

Hearts, however, stunned the home crowd into silence in the 13th minute with their first attack of the game.

Scotland star Cameron latched on to a poor clearance just outside the Celtic area before curling a great shot past Robert Douglas' despairing dive.

But it took just three minutes for the home side to hit back.

Bobby Petta teed the ball into the path of defender Valgaeren on the edge of the area and the Belgian international curled a superb right-foot shot into the top corner of the net.

That was just what the home side deserved and Hearts then had Niemi to thank for staying on level terms with two world-class saves in the space of a minute.

First Larsson got on the end of Thompson's in-swinging free-kick in the 24th minute but Niemi produced an acrobatic save to push the striker's header over his crossbar.

But the Finnish international's next save was even better as Petta found Sutton in the box and the striker's header looked destined for the corner but Niemi somehow stretched enough to claw away the effort.

Hearts were finding it difficult to get out of the own half but they gave the home side another fright in the 33rd.

Juanjo chipped the ball into the feet of Cameron, who fired on target from eight yards but somehow Douglas pushed the ball over the crossbar.

That was the wake up call Celtic needed and three minutes later they were in front.

Steven Pressley headed out Thompson's free-kick to Moravcik, who took it in his stride before cooly slotting the ball home into the corner for his third goal in three games.

Celtic were in command and just three minutes later they had doubled their advantage when Niemi saved Larsson's first effort from close range, but the Swede followed up to fired home the rebound.

But the game was over just a minute before the break when Mjallby rose above everybody else in the box to power home Moravcik's corner.

In the final minute of the half Hearts' frustrations boiled over as Gary Locke was booked for a bad tackle on Larsson and it was only a matter of how many goals the home side would score after the break.

Agathe again showed a tremendous turn of pace in the 57th minute which almost brought Celtic's fifth goal.

The Frenchman left Murray and Steve Fulton in his wake on the touchline and tried to drill home his effort, but Gordan Petric made a vital block to deny him.

Agathe again went close in the 63rd minute when he came in at the far post to meet Moravcik's corner but his effort bounced agonisingly over the bar.

Celtic began to take their foot off the pedal and manager O'Neill was forced to bring off the injured Chris Sutton in the 73rd minute as Tommy Johnson entered the fray.

Moments later and the in-form Moravcik went off to a standing ovation with manager taking the opportunity to rest the veteran Slovakian and in his place came Jackie McNamara.

McNamara and Johnson were instantly involved and played a major part in Larsson's second goal when they linked up to put the Swede through on goal and he obliged to fire past Niemi.

Celtic completed the rout a minute later when Agathe skipped away from the challenge of Murray and cut the ball back from the by-line for Petrov to fire home from close range.

Stubbs would have been a happier man in the crowd as he continues his fight against the disease, as Celtic continue to look a side of champions.

Celtic Douglas, Boyd, Valgaeren, Mjallby (Tebily 83), Agathe, Petrov, Thompson, Moravcik (McNamara 75), Petta, Larsson, Sutton (Johnson 73).

Subs Not Used: Gould, Healy.

Goals: Valgaeren 15, Moravcik 36, Larsson 39, Mjallby 44, Larsson 81, Petrov 82.

Hearts Niemi, Murray, Pressley, Petric, Neilson (Flogel 67), Severin, Locke (Durie 46), Cameron, Fulton, Juanjo (McSwegan 46), Kirk.

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, Tomaschek.

Booked: Locke, Neilson, McSwegan, Durie.

Goals: Cameron 13.

Att: 59,813

Ref: S Dougal (Scotland).


Taken from sportinglife.com