On a night when the temperatures plummeted so that the players’ breath emerged visible against the sharp, cold air Celtic nevertheless turned up the heat at the top of the table.

Brendan Rodgers’ side had to dig in against a resolute Kilmarnock side at times to get the win that took them 13 points clear at the top of the table.

Stuart Armstrong netted the only goal of the game just before the break as Celtic didn't produce the same volume of goals that many observers have come to expect from them on their domestic duties this term.

It wasn’t the prettiest of performances but with a weekend to kick back now before facing Barcelona on Wednesday night in the UEFA Champions League, the penultimate game of their group campaign, Rodgers will be satisfied at doing the job.

The Celtic manager had said beforehand that the timing of the game didn’t give Celtic, who had 14 players away on international duty much time to prepare, and while the Parkhead side started brightly, there were times when they looked heavy-legged.

It was a different Celtic team to take to the field with a makeshift defence forming a back four. With Emilio Izaguirre back from international duty on Thursday and Kieran Tierney injured, it was Callum McGregor who took up the left-back slot while Dedryck Boyata was brought out of cold storage.

The defender has not started a competitive game for Celtic since Brendan Rodgers arrived at the club and there were times when his distribution was a telling factor in why that maybe.

Armstrong and Scott Brown combined in the middle, with Patrick Roberts playing in the hole just being Moussa Dembele.

Just when it seemed that the Rugby Park side had successfully managed to nullify Celtic, Dembele and Armstrong combined just on the cusp of the half-time whistle to give the Hoops the lead.

If there was a suggestion that Celtic would allow some frustration to creep into their game, it was put the bed with a finely worked move which led to the opener.

Forrest supplied Dembele who slipped a perfectly weighted pass through the Kilmarnock defence to put Armstrong clear through on goal, with the midfielder taking his time and picking his spot to net the opener and his third goal of the season.

Certainly, the recent form of Armstrong in the central pastures and his growing confidence in the role suggests that he could well feature more regularly this term.

Midway through the opening period he executed one fine cross-field pass direct to the feet of the advancing McGregor and while the move came to nothing, it was an indication of the little bit f creativity that he can bring.

Armstrong has had to be patient in waiting for his chance this season but on the evidence of the past month he is a player who can give Rodgers something to think about.

He was the man who broke Kilmarnock’s resistance last night with the opening goal, but it had been strong start to the game from the visitors.

James MacDonald pulled off a fine save to deny James Forrest, while Dembele too had had a decent chance in the early stages.

Kilmarnock, though they found themselves containing Celtic for much of the game, deserved credit for stifling the Hoops, although they had a decent chance of their own when Flo Bojaj had a header that went just passed the post.

Scott Sinclair went into the book shortly before the break for his tackle on Luke Hendry, an admonishment that seemed a little harsh.

Celtic emerged from the break keen to supplement their lead with Erik Sviatchenko dragging a shot just wide of the target while Roberts also capitalised on a mix-up in the Killie defence when he chipped an effort goalwards from the edge of the box.

MacDonald got back to scramble the ball out for a corner but while Celtic looked to get the second to kill of the game, Kilmarnock, to their credit, remained steadsfast in trying to probe for openings in the Hoops defence.

Jordan Jones was allowed time and space at one point to drift not once but twice towards Craig Gordon, with Rodgers clearly irked on the touchline. Jones, too, was provider with one cross that caused some discomfort in the Celtic defence before being hooked to safety.

Tom Rogic, scorer of the club’s goal of the season last term at Rugby Park, replaced Roberts as Celtic looked to get the elusive second.

Yet, it was the Aussie who conceded possession and almost led to Killie grabbing a leveller. Adam Frizzell’s shot from distance deflected off Armstrong on the slippery surface had Gordon scrambling to palm the ball away before it could do damage.

Next up was Jones with a free-kick that was comfortably held by Gordon after Boyata was penalised for a trip on Rory McKenzie.

At the other end, Forrest teed up Mikael Lustig whose diagonal effort came off the post.

Nir Bitton replaced Forrest shortly after as Celtic closed the game out.}

Time now to take stock before Wednesday night.