43 and counting. Celtic moved within touching distance of going through the season unbeaten after an emphatic 4-1 win over St Johnstone.

After a goal-less opening period, a brace from Patrick Roberts and further strikes from Dedryck Boyata and Callum McGregor gave Celtic a comfortable afternoon.

Brendan Rodgers brought 18-year-olds Tony Ralston and Mickey Johnston into the starting line-up. With little pressure on the Parkhead side and with Scott Brown serving a two-game suspension and Mikael Lustig given time off, there seemed little at stake in terms of blooding the pair into the senior team.

Both impressed in various spells, with Johnston catching the eye with a neat pirouette from just outside the box before dragging his shot just wide of the target. The youngster went off to an ovation from the Celtic Park support for Scott Sinclair in the second period, but he will feel satisfied with an impressive display.

Ralston too got forward at times and had one particular cut-back into the box that was unlucky not to be turned into the net.

Despite the changes to the team, Saints keeper Zander Clark was forced into three saves in the opening quarter of an hour with Tom Rogic in particular looking in the mood.

The Australian midfielder has missed the latter chunk of the second period with injury but when he is fully fit, Rogic brings a different dynamic to Celtic.

Celtic dominated the opening period but had little to show for their possession. St Johnstone could have made them pay for their profligacy with Blair Alston heading over from a Brian Easton cross that had caught the Parkhead side on the backfoot.

The game had barely restarted when Patrick Roberts broke the deadlock with a raking left-foot shot from the edge of the box – but within seconds it was cancelled out by Steven MacLean.

Craig Gordon initially made a superb block from

Parity, though, was short-lived as Dedryck Boyata bulleted a powerful header from a Leigh Griffiths corner to restore Celtic’s lead.

Rodgers’s side enjoyed the goal but from St Johnstone’s perspective, the amount of space afforded to the defender from the set-piece was an invitation.

Celtic kicked up a gear with Sinclair’s arrival. The Englishman blasted one attempt over the bar after being played in by Griffiths but in the immediate aftermath he had set up Roberts for his second of the day and Celtic’s third.

As St Johnstone buckled, Celtic kept it going.

Callum McGregor, barely on the park, netted a fourth as Celtic went for the jugular.

Roberts too went off to a standing ovation after a fine performance which, when augmented with the news that he has chosen to play for Celtic in the William Hill Scottish Cup final rather than go on to the under-20 World Cup finals with England, pleased a home support who have had plenty to smile about.