Whatever reservations the SPFL might privately harbour about one side continuing to monopolise their headline prize, it isn’t half saving them money on the hiring of helicopters.
A 55th title for Celtic looked to be in the post before the Christmas cards this season.
While Brendan Rodgers’ men were unable to maintain their flying start to the campaign after the turn of the year, this was another emphatic triumph to add to the growing pile.
Although Celtic have lost one more league match than last season, they have scored more goals and conceded fewer than last term and will surpass their points total of a year back if they take 10 from the 12 that are still up for grabs.
Were it not for a bad day at the office when they faced St Johnstone on the road three weeks ago, the title would have been wrapped up before the split.
To get there with four games to spare — three matches earlier than a year back — is testament to the levels of excellence they have attained more often than not since hostilities resumed.
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and skipper Callum McGregor revel in Celtic’s title triumph
McGregor and his team-mates sealed the deal with a 5-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice
Brendan Rodgers says it is the happiest he has been in his two spells as Celtic manager
At Tannadice on Saturday, where they sealed the deal with a 5-0 victory against Dundee United, any suggestion that any club could ever get weary of the winning feeling felt risible.
At full-time, James Forrest choked back the tears as he drank in the fact that he’s now overtaken the legendary Bobby Lennox to become Celtic’s most decorated player.
Brendan Rodgers declared himself the happiest he’s been in his two spells as Celtic manager and hinted that he might consider extending his stay beyond the summer of 2026.
As the likes of Viljami Sinisalo, Arne Engels and Luke McCowan sampled clinching a title for the first time, Celtic supporters of all generations sang themselves hoarse as the final whistle sounded. If there is any such thing as title fatigue, there was scant evidence of it on Tayside.
Most of those present would have been at Tannadice for the one that got away in 2021 had Covid-19 not dictated otherwise.
Rangers were confirmed champions when a Celtic side led by interim boss John Kennedy drew a blank that afternoon.
Dave King famously claimed it would only take the loss of one title for Celtic to collapse like a pack of cards. Four years on, as he prepares to sell his shares at Ibrox, the former Rangers chairman might concede that was wishful thinking on his part.
Celtic’s annus horribilis has long been atoned for. Between Ange Postecoglou and Rodgers, the Parkhead outfit has claimed nine out of the past 11 trophies.
Rodgers himself now has 11 across two spells, a mark that makes him the club’s most successful living manager, with a chance for a 12th awaiting at Hampden at the end of May when his side face Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final.
Much can — and will — happen across the city in the coming months. The enduring beauty of football is how quickly the landscape can change.
But, as things stand, Rangers face an almighty battle just to contend for next season’s flag — let alone win it.
Celtic just have too much quality, too much experience and too much money in the bank to look vulnerable at this point in time.
When they turn it on, as they did on Saturday, no side in the land can live with them. And for as long as a manager of Rodgers’ ilk remains on the scene, the demand to deliver week-in, week-out will be unrelenting.
It was simply Dundee United’s misfortune to run into a Celtic side which had been in menacing mood since that bleak day in Perth.
Jim Goodwin’s men looked capable of making this an awkward afternoon for Celtic until there was a lengthy break in play to allow dozens of tangerines to be cleared from the park.
Hurled onto the surface by Celtic fans in protest at the Tannadice club hiking their ticket prices, the hiatus proved to be just what Rodgers’ players required.
Having started nervously, they were unplayable thereafter, the pace with which they moved the ball grinding United down and culminating in an unassailable three-goal half-time lead.
They were never in danger once Ryan Strain smashed the ball into his own net on the half-hour mark, the Australian panicking under the pressure applied by Jota as they contested Liam Scales’ header at the far post.
The visitors’ second was a peach. Sinisalo instigated a sweeping passing move which saw Engels spin then find Daizen Maeda with a defence-splitting pass. The Japanese put enough pace on his cross to ensure that Nicolas Kuhn only had to turn it onto the target.
Maeda had a hand in the third deep into first half stoppage time. Adam Idah, who’d replaced the stricken Jota, let the cross run under his feet. Kuhn remained alert and provided another calm finish to claim his 20th goal of the season.
The only question in the second half was how much pain Celtic wanted to inflict. Idah claimed a simple fourth two minutes after the restart by nodding home Alistair Johnston’s clipped cross.
The forward’s second arrived before the hour courtesy of Callum McGregor playing him in after a slalom up the middle and some uncertain defending by Emmanuel Adegboyega.
The score remained at five without reply. Curiously, this has been the precise scoreline when Celtic have got the job done in each of Rodgers’ four title-winning seasons.
United had been longing to hear the final whistle. The only crumb of comfort was that a desperate day didn’t result in them being on the wrong end of a cricket score. They’ll have to park this outcome quickly and focus on the trip to Easter Road this weekend.
After a sluggish start, Celtic could have scored any number. Even the loss of Jota to a suspected meniscus injury midway through the first half didn’t adversely affect them. Having faced the pace of Maeda, United were then confronted with the power and strength of Idah.
As the likes of Paulo Bernardo and McCowan were sprung from the bench, Goodwin’s side must have felt like pleading for mercy. There was little of that on show.
Despite trying his darnedest, Forrest didn’t get the elusive goal which would have seen him net for a 16th successive season, but confirmation of an unprecedented 26th major honour ensured there was not a hint of regret as he left the arena to rapturous applause.
Celtic supporters have become accustomed to smothering their home-grown heroes in adulation on such occasions. It will evidently be some time before the novelty starts to wear off.
DUNDEE UTD (4-4-1-1): Walton 5; Strain 4, Adegboyega 4, Sevelj 4, Ferry 5; Paton 4 (Trapanovski 59), Campbell 5, Docherty 5 (Babunski 59), Middleton 4; Sibbald 4; Dalby 4 (Van der Sande 59).
Booked: None.
Manager: Jim Goodwin 4.
CELTIC (4-3-3): Sinisalo 7.5; Johnston 7, Carter-Vickers 7, Scales 7.5, Taylor 7.5 (Schlupp 74); McGregor 7.5, Hatate 7 (McCowan 74), Engels 7.5 (Bernardo 63); Kuhn 8 (Forrest 63), Maeda 7, Jota 5 (Idah 35).
Booked: None.
Manager: Brendan Rodgers 8.
Referee: Don Robertson 7.
Attendance: 13,568.
