ANTHONY STOKES today hailed strike partner Kris Commons' killer instinct in the final third this term.

While the Irishman endured a frustrating afternoon in front of goal as Celtic beat St Mirren on Sunday, Commons was once again the Hoops hero as he scored after seven minutes to clinch a 1-0 win for the champions.

The former Scotland star has now netted 22 times in a campaign to remember as Neil Lennon's side have raced clear at the top of the Premiership standings.

"He's having one of those seasons," Stokes said. "Even if I hit it and the keeper saves it, the ball is breaking to him.

"But he's been brilliant. He's getting a lot further up the pitch this season and you can see that with the amount of goals he has scored.

"Every time the ball comes in to me, he is either making runs off me or if I get a chance in, he is there looking for the rebound, so he is constantly bombing forward and looking to get in the box, and that has been a massive feature of his game this term."

Commons may have grabbed the headlines for a series of terrific showings, but he is not the only Hoops star who has turned on the style.

Defender Virgil van Dijk has won the hearts of the Parkhead crowd following his summer switch to Glasgow as he has impressed at both ends of the field.

In Stokes' absence, he stepped up to the mark to curl home a perfect free-kick in the 4-0 win over Hibs nine days ago.

"Whoever's confident at the time takes them," Stokes told the Hoops programme.

"We'll get out on the training pitch and maybe have a look in practice as well. It was an unbelievable free-kick against Hibernian.

"I've seen Virgil hit a few in training before so his technique is very good.

"It's very attack-minded from the two centre-halves, and Efe Ambrose also loves to go on these darting runs forward.

"And we've got the two full-backs who push on and almost play as wingers at times, so I'm just glad the team's playing well, we're scoring goals and everyone's contributing."