In the confines of the Lennoxtown dressing room, Brendan Rodgers maintains he has not breathed a word about this being a Treble winning season for Celtic.

He doesn’t need to.

From here on in, it is the only narrative to the campaign. Rodgers doesn’t need to talk about it because the presence of the Treble looms large over every ball Celtic kick this season.

That and the stats; this was the Parkhead side’s 25th consecutive game unbeaten meaning that they go into the midweek league tie against St Johnstone in a position to level the Lisbon Lions’ 26-game domestic run without defeat at the start of a season.

Read more: Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers left singing Kieran Tierney's praises

Yesterday's Scottish Cup defeat of Albion Rovers courtesy of goals from Scott Sinclair, Moussa Dembele and Stuart Armstrong - nothing like starting one year off just as you finished another - was never the easiest shift on the eye but it has booked Celtic one step closer to a clean sweep.

On a sticky, astroturf surface with a makeshift central defence – Erik Sviatchenko’s suspension and Jozo Simunovic’s knee issues prevent him starting games on fake turf meant that Dedryck Boyata and Mikael Lustig made an unusual pairing – the relentlessness of Celtic’s domestic journey continued.

Kieran Tierney’s return to the starting line-up after three months on the sidelines was well received by the Celtic support before kick-off, while Rodgers’ appreciation of the player was obvious in his starting selection, despite his lack of game time. The Scotland internationalist played just over an hour against Albion Rovers and his return gives Celtic another option on that left-flank,

Tierney had a heavy hand in the Parkhead side's opening goal as he picked up where he left off with some clever footwork on the left-flank to tee up Sinclair.

The Englishman has been one of the shining lights - and there have been a few of those this season - for Celtic and it was his opener just after te half hour mark that gave Celtic a foothold in a tie that was never fluent yet never carried any real menace for Rodgers' side.

Sinclair’s time off has resulted in a top-up Mohican, with the bleached ends stark under the Airdrie floodlights on a grey January afternoon.

Albion would have had no trouble in spotting the winger but stopping him was another matter. The pace of the 27-year-old fashioned Celtic’s first real chance in the opening half when he combined with Moussa Dembele, but Sinclair subsequently did find the net with a looping right-foot effort from the left-hand side of the box that looked to be flying well wide of the target before dropping and spinning suddenly into the top corner.

He had the ball in the net again shortly after only to be denied by an offside flag but on this evidence, Sinclair will remain as integral to Celtic’s procession towards silverware in the latter stages of the campaign as he was in the first.

Read more: Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers left singing Kieran Tierney's praises

Dembele has attracted covetous eyes in the short time he has been in Glasgow but, despite his goal, he won't feel as though this was one of his better showings in a Hoops shirt.

With 83% possession in the game, Celtic were rarely without the ball.

Lustig made way for Simunovic’s arrival in the second period, but the Croatian could have brought out his thermals and a flask of soup for all he had to do.

James Forrest could have made Celtic’s afternoon easier just after the restart when he tried to prod home from close range only to see his effort smothered by Albion Rovers keeper Ross Stewart.

Celtic continued to probe for openings with Gamboa hitting an effort just wide of the post.

Dedryck Boyata almost got the second only to see his header cleared for a corner while Simunovic had an attempt cleared off the post in a game that Celtic never quite his the fluency that they have shown throughout this season.

Yet, when the second goal of the day came from the boot of Dembele who carried the effort over the line following a move that started with Patrick Roberts, brought in Scott Brown and culminated with the French under-21striker bundling the ball over the line from close range.

It sealed Celtic's passage into the next round as the business end of the season begins to approach.

Read more: Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers left singing Kieran Tierney's praises

Stuart Armstrong put a gloss on the win with the third goal of the day as he converted from Roberts' run and cut-back.

The Parkhead side host St Johnstone on Wednesday night as they look to further build on the chasm at the top of the table.

This wasn't vintage Celtic but it was enough to see them through. On familiar surrounds this week Rodgers will look to make a little bit of history as he pens another footnote of his time into the Hoops' story.

Where this season goes promises interesting times.