Celtic blew away the cobwebs of their mid-winter break with a comprehensive win over Brechin.

Back-to-back trebles have never been claimed by any Celtic side and with the League Cup already banked and a healthy lead visible at the top of the table, this was the first step towards another potentially historic season.

The goals came without Celtic ever having to work too hard it although as well as the five goals netted by Brendan Rodgers, from five different scorers, there would have been some satisfaction drawn too from a fifth successive clean sheet.

Celtic, inevitably, made easy work of seeing off Brechin with two goals in the opening stages of this game that ended any illusion of a contest before it had really began.

James Forrest netted the first goal of 2018 for Celtic with just 121 seconds on the clock. Scott Sinclair was the architect after ghosting inside and cutting the ball back for the Scotland internationalist to rifle into the net.

Sinclair turned goalscorer shortly afterwards when he claimed Celtic’s second. Brechin defender James Dale attempted to play the ball out of defence only to run into trouble. Sinclair, with just 11 minutes gone, was quick to pounce on the misjudgement.

Celtic dominated without ever really having to go through the gears but further goals seemed inevitable. Olivier Ntcham was next up to get his name on the scoresheet four minutes after the interval.

The move was started by Odsonne Edouard who fed the ball to Mikael Lustig. The Swede’s cross into the box was converted by the French midfielder who sprung to bullet a downward header into the net.

Forrest almost claimed the fourth shortly after following a swerving delivery from Kieran Tierney into the box as Celtic toyed with their visitors.

Dedryck Boyata was next to get in on the act when he rose to convert Callum McGregor’s corner as Celtic eased their way through to the fifth round, the draw for which will be made tomorrow.

Odsonne Edouard completed a decent day at the office with a dinking finish to make it five.