Celtic's Moussa Dembele hogs the spotlight but whistler Craig Thomson takes the heat

For Celtic, though, the script remained the same.

There were heroes – step forward hat-trick man Moussa Dembele - and villains – Craig Thomson’s ears will still be burning - as well as tricks and flicks in what was a coruscating game at McDiarmid Park as Celtic came back from a 2-1 half-time deficit to turn the screw and then some on their opponents.

There is a narrative to yesterday’s story that credits the game changer as the man in the middle. It a theory that carries substance and weight given the magnitude of the injustice inflicted upon St Johnstone with a harsh penalty award against the Perth side, who were leading at the time. However, it overlooks the fact that in bringing Dembele off the bench and into the fray on the hour mark, the Parkhead side were able to yield a substantial weapon of their own.

Read more: No distractions for Moussa Dembele as he bags a hat-trick for Celtic

Simply put, the spotlight deserved to belong to the Frenchman.

Dembele, the subject of interest this week from Chelsea as the transfer window came to a close, returned from a knee injury to produce a devastating hat-trick as Celtic rolled up their sleeves and hammered home their superiority.

By the time Celtic netted their fifth of the day and Dembele bagged his third, the Parkhead side were showboating their way to the final whistle; Mikael Lustig’s rabona, Callum McGregor’s back-heel, Dembele’s finish completed a move that was breath-taking in its execution.

Amidst it all it was difficult not to feel a large amount of sympathy for St Johnstone.

The hosts had a strong shout for a penalty almost immediately before Celtic won their own dubious award when Scott Brown challenged Danny Swanson in the box without winning the ball.

Then, as Celtic chased their way back into the game Kieran Tierney’s cross was met by the arching, twisting back of Keith Watson before bouncing off his elbow. Thomson pointed immediately to the spot.

Dembele’s first touch of the ball was to calmly dispatch the leveller.

Read more: No distractions for Moussa Dembele as he bags a hat-trick for Celtic

For a chunk of this meeting at McDiarmid Park, St Johnstone gave the Parkhead side much to think about but their spirit gave way utterly after Celtic had restored parity, the harshness of the penalty award a blow they were incapable of returning from.

For Celtic, though, it was just the beginning of the afternoon as they galloped into a finish that was as strong as their start.

The Parkhead side started the game well, lost their focus a little, and then quickly regain their composure and thoroughly dominated the final half hour of the game.

It all looked to have been going comfortably to plan for Celtic when Liam Henderson curled a shot into the net after just six minutes to keep the Parkhead side on their winning streak, a run that now stretches to 29 games without defeat domestically.

And yet, just as they started the game looking in the mood, there was a relaxation about Celtic once they had put themselves in front as they allowed St Johnstone to come back into things.

Shortly after the half hour mark Keith Watson outjumped Nir Bitton from Swanson’s corner – the Israeli internationalist ought to have done much better – to power a header high past Craig Gordon.

David Wotherspoon posted notice of St Johnstone’ intent to search for further goals when he headed an effort just wide of the post but it was a warning that Celtic failed to heed.

Read more: No distractions for Moussa Dembele as he bags a hat-trick for Celtic

Just two minutes before the break Swanson again caused havoc with a delivery from the flank that was met by the head of Dedryck Boyata who headed into his own goal.

St Johnstone deserved credit for the manner in which they lifted themselves and forced their way into a game that in the early stages threatened to drift away from them but Celtic too were culpable in their own downfall.

Henderson netted a fine opening goal but could and should have headed into the break with more than one goal to his name while Gary Mackay-Steven, making his first start of year, was wasteful in front of goal.

On one occasion in particular as Scott Sinclair drove forward before picking Mackay-Steven out with the perfect pass, the former Dundee United aimed a tame shot goal-wards with only goalkeeper Zander Clark to beat.

It meant for only the second time domestically this season that Celtic headed into the dressing room at the interval trailing.

Rodgers sent the same squad back out to try and rectify the situation and in fairness Celtic produced an early spell of pressure in the opening stages of the second period as they sought to find a way back into the game.

However, just ten minutes in and the Hoops boss whistled down the stretching Dembele as he looked to make the change.

The Frenchman’s first act was to bury the aforementioned spot-kick. It was a brutal decision – television pictures would show that there was no infringement after the player twisted his body away from the ball and the cross came off his lower back – but despite the visceral protests from St Johnstone, the decision stood. And there was no way back for St Johnstone.

Read more: No distractions for Moussa Dembele as he bags a hat-trick for Celtic

As St Johnstone wilted, Celtic turned the screw.

No sooner had Dembele levelled things from the spot than he was wheeling away to celebrate putting Rodgers’ side back into the lead.

Lustig had a hand in the build-up as the Swede cut the ball back for Dembele to sweep a right-foot effort high into the net.

With their noses back in front, Celtic were not for stopping. On they went – Sinclair next up after the swift feet of Patrick Roberts had set him up – and the midfielder calmly dispatched his 16th goal of the season.

The afternoon, though, belonged to Dembele. The striker completed his hat-trick after a bit of showboating in the box by Lustig and Callum McGregor before Dembele – on the pitch for only 20 minutes at that point – sunk his hat-trick.