Demolition job that tees up Celtic's Italian job as Inter Milan return takes centre stage for Ronny Deila

but that was where the comparisons started and ended.

Hamilton Accies turned up in the black and blue stripes of their away kit at Celtic Park yesterday afternoon and, although the 4-0 scoreline leads to the suggestion that the Parkhead side barely broke sweat, for almost an hour they toiled to break down their plucky visitors.

The questions, however, that will be asked of Ronny Deila's side on Thursday night in the great football cathedral of the San Siro will bear no resemblance to the ones posed of them yesterday afternoon as they extended their lead to three points at the top of the Premiership.

Not that Hamilton troubled them. Rather, a stultifying system meant that Deila's side had to swap the character and fight and heart of last Thursday night's showing against Inter Milan for a different kind of determination.

Second-half goals from Kris Commons (2), Stefan Johansen and John Guidetti, eventually punctured the resistance of visitors who set out to frustrate and sit in.

This was not the Hamilton from the first part of the season that showed up in the East End of Glasgow.

It is not just their former manager they have been shorn of, but also a level of self-belief after going on a winless run of eight games since Alex Neil's departure to Norwich.

The goals that flew into their net in the latter stages of this encounter at Celtic Park takes the tally conceded since Neil quit to move south to 20.

As such, Martin Canning will only be able to look on enviously at the kind of headache Deila has this week as Celtic jet off to Italy on Wednesday morning. The Norwegian has much to ponder as he works out his strongest starting eleven that could pull a rabbit out of the hat in Milan.

Guidetti was handed a starting jersey yesterday at the expense of Leigh Griffiths, who had to content himself with a place on the bench.

The Swede bagged another to add to the one he netted on Thursday evening against the Serie A side to suggest that his confidence will soon ebb back to the heights it was at when he was banging in the goals in his early days at the club.

Deila dismissed yesterday's reports that Marseille are preparing a bumper offer for the player, insisting his future would be best spent at Celtic.

That echoes the advice the manager handed to Commons a few weeks ago when it looked as though the Englishman's time at Parkhead was up.

The attacking midfcielder was back in the fray yesterday, his goals perhaps serving notice of the threat he can add to the forward line.

Deila needed convincing of the playmaker's ability to track back and do his bit defensively and whether or not he has convinced the Norwegian of his work-rate and application.

And while Deila will understand the need for Celtic to do something with any limited chances that come their way on Thursday night, far more pressing will be the need to close things up at the back.

While Hamilton could not keep the ball long enough to string more than two or three passes together, let alone pose genuine questions of Celtic's

defence, there was still a glimpse of the uncertainty that can plague the Hoops at the back.

Nigel Hasselbaink's pace occasionally reminded Celtic that Hamilton were allowed to leave their own half. Given the lack of support for the Accies forward, the threat was easily snuffed out.

But the danger that will emanate from Inter Milan striker Xherdan Shaqiri carries a viperous bite, something they will not require reminding of.

However, yesterday afternoon, as the rain teemed down, there was always the suggestion that Hamilton would be swept away.

That it took almost an hour before they drowned under the waves of Celtic attacks owed much to the manner in which they had set out to frustrate their hosts.

By the time the first stirrings of frustration were grumbling their way down from the stands, Celtic finally got the breakthrough.

Virgil van Dijk, who would have a hand in two goals, took the ball and the initiative from inside his own half.

Striding forward, the Dutch defender picked out Commons, who put the ball into the back of the net.

Hard on its heels came another to sink Hamilton. Van Dijk's effort was parried by Michael McGovern, but broke to Stefan Johansen, and the gutsy resistance of the visitors was ended.

Johansen was denied a further mention on the scoresheet by a post while Van Dijk had a piledriver of an effort beaten away by McGovern. Guidetti, though, added a third before Commons sealed the points with a clinical fourth.

The result tees Celtic up for a week that could be significant in terms of their overall season - the second leg of their knockout Europa League tie against Inter Milan swiftly followed by the visit of Derek McInnes's impressive Aberdeen side on Sunday at noon.

It is Thursday, though, that is uppermost in the thoughts of the Celtic fans.