Hearts 1-4 Celtic: Kyogo Furuhashi nets in eight successive game against hosts as Scottish Premiership leaders claim comfortable win to restore seven-point lead over Rangers

If only stopping Celtic when they are in such a mood was as easy as limiting the number of supporters in attendance.

Whether it is supported by the entire Roseburn Stand, as was once the case, or just the 576 fans who occupied a small part of that building on Sunday, the outcome is almost inevitable if Brendan Rodgers’ players live up to his high standards.

This was a victory that was as comfortable as the result suggests. Coming from the very ground where the Northern Irishman sealed his first title as Celtic manager, this felt like a hugely important day in his quest to ensure his second spell starts in exactly the same way.

Despite many of his players being scattered around the world over the past two weeks, there was no sign of ring rust among the champions in their first run after the international break.

They were rightly two goals positive from Matt O’Riley and Daizen Maeda’s breakthrough, with Kyogo Furuhashi confirming victory by claiming his eighth goal in as many games against Hearts early in the second half.

Despite the earlier luxury of Reo Hatate making a mistake from the penalty spot, the visitors were briefly concerned when Lawrence Shankland pulled a goal back. But Tomoki Iwata ensured Hearts’ hopes of an unlikely comeback were short-lived by scoring his first goal in Celtic colors nine minutes from time.

Still seven points clear at the top of the Premier League, with a slip-up at home to St. Johnstone the only mistake so far, Celtic now appear to be in full top gear.

Ominously for the chasing pack, the manager believes that no limits should be placed on how good his team can still become.

A controversial appointment in the eyes of some after his abrupt departure to Leicester City in 2019. Rodgers’ name was chanted full-time by the visiting supporters. Nothing in football, it seems, heals wounds like positive results.

Hearts could rue the day they emphatically ended Rodgers’ 69-match unbeaten run as Celtic manager in December 2017.

Since that date they have won just two of the 22 meetings against the Parkhead men. On days like these, the prospect of getting another nosebleed feels more and more remote.

As impressive as Celtic were here, they were helped in no small part by a home side who were miles behind.

Tasteless and without any semblance of faith, their resistance lasted only four minutes.

Luis Palma dropped onto the ball on the left and was given far too much time to float a ball over the home defence.

On the same page as the Honduran, O’Riley fled from Calem Nieuwenhof. Taking the ball on the volley for the first time as it fell out of the blinding sun, he made the left-foot finish look much easier than it was.

The midfielder simply can’t do any wrong at the moment. Player of the Month and called up to the full Denmark squad, his sixth goal of the season is already two better than his total from last campaign.

Hearts’ response was negligible. Alex Lowry did manage to feed Alex Cochrane, but a decent cross from the left found no takers. Kenneth Vargas tried his luck from a corner. Joe Hart watched it all the time.

Celtic had complete control of the match. Only a smart save from Zander Clark prevented Daizen Maeda from making the score more accurate, but the second goal was only a matter of time.

Once again Hearts had the right to point the finger – especially at the figure of Nieuwenhof.

A loose pass from the Australian led to possession, causing Clark’s net to bulge for the second time after 23 minutes.

After executing a throw-in, O’Riley’s pass allowed Hatate to reach the byline. The midfielder’s cross avoided a lot of bodies in the six-yard box, but not Maeda. His second goal of the season, from barely a meter, was confirmed after a VAR check.

In such adverse circumstances you learn a lot about your players. And to a man, Naismith’s Hearts already looked like they had accepted defeat.

The fact that every player in Maroon who started the game started the game over was nothing short of astonishing.

The result could have been put beyond doubt within two minutes of the restart. Just twelve seconds later, Cochrane’s clumsiness in the tackle saw Furuhashi slide to the deck. Referee Nick Walsh’s initial opinion on a penalty was supported by VAR.

After the inevitable delay, Hatate sent Clark the wrong way from twelve yards, but hit the upright. But the delay lasted all four minutes.

A neat combination between Hatate and Palma saw the latter run away from Toby Sibbick on the left.

The cross was helped by O’Riley and fell perfectly for the unmarked Furuhashi. A 60th Celtic goal in 95 appearances was confirmed with a thumping finish high into the net.

Hatate tried to make up for his penalty miss with a stinging drive that flew narrowly wide. If that had gone in, you suspect the final score could have been almost anything.

As it was, Hearts managed to pull one back. A misplaced pass from Maeda on the edge of his own penalty area gave Shankland possession. An eight-match goal drought was ended by a goal from the edge of the penalty area, which beat Hart and went in via the post.

The Hearts skipper had another half chance to finish into the stands with twelve minutes remaining but he fell while trying his luck from 15 yards and the ball sailed harmlessly over.

The issue was finally resolved nine minutes before time. Hyeon-ghu Oh had a few quick attempts repelled. The second rebound ball remained perfectly in front of Iwata, who rammed the ball in via the underside of the crossbar.

The Hearts supporters who stayed for the full-time whistle left the players and their manager in no doubt as to what they thought of the performance. The small visitors’ area, on the other hand, was a scene of jubilation.