Scottish Premier League wrap: High five for Celtic

Celtic moved 17 points clear of crisis-ridden Rangers on Sunday with a 5-0 win over Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League.

Anthony Stokes opened the scoring for visitors Celtic 14 minutes into the match at Easter Road, heading home a Charlie Mulgrew corner almost unopposed in the Hibs penalty area.

Gary Hooper added a second to double the lead five minutes later, feeding Stokes out wide before arriving in the box to collect the return, and shooting low beyond Hibs goalkeeper Graham Stack.

The match was effectively over as a contest just two minutes into the second half, when Charlie Mulgrew’s free-kick made it 3-0 to the away team.

Hooper claimed his second and Celtic’s fourth on 51 minutes, as his unremarkable shot somehow squirmed out of Stack’s grasp and into the back of the net.

And Ki Sung-Yueng capped off the rout when he bagged a fifth with 13 minutes remaining.

The South Korean did not know much about the goal, which arrived via a deflection off Kris Commons’ effort.

The victory came a day after Rangers went down 1-0 at home to Kilmarnock, and at the end of a week in which Celtic’s fierce cross-city rivals suffered a 10-point deduction for entering administration.

It remains to be seen if Rangers, facing an unpaid tax bill of at least 40 million pounds, will avoid liquidation, meaning Celtic are likely to be completely unopposed in their march to the SPL crown.

Also on Sunday, Aberdeen were held to a 0-0 draw in their match at home to St Johnstone.

The stalemate at Pittodrie leaves Aberdeen eighth, five points back from St Johnstone, who are in fifth place.