Celtic clinched the William Hill Premiership title in style with a 5-0 victory over Dundee United at Tannadice.
Nicolas Kuhn and substitute Adam Idah both hit doubles after Ryan Strain’s 30th-minute own-goal kicked off the rout.
Celtic had only needed a point but they wrapped up their fourth consecutive championship in similar fashion to last year, when a 5-0 win at Kilmarnock earned Brendan Rodgers the title in his first season back at Parkhead.
This triumph moved the former Liverpool manager on to 11 major trophies as Celtic manager and set the champions up for a shot at their sixth treble in nine seasons, and Rodgers’ third, when they face Aberdeen in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup final next month.
It also saw substitute James Forrest write himself into the club record books with his 26th winners’ medal, one more than Lisbon Lion Bobby Lennox.
Celtic’s 13th title in 14 years has been in little doubt since early in the season, with Rangers falling behind early on and Aberdeen collapsing in spectacular fashion after matching the champions’ 31 points from the opening 11 games.
The Hoops suffered their first defeat at Ibrox on January 2 but were still 13 points ahead and, despite another derby defeat, this win put them 18 clear ahead of Rangers’ game against St Mirren later on Saturday.
Rodgers had criticised his players for being too comfortable in their approach to a defeat against bottom club St Johnstone earlier this month but they have responded in emphatic fashion by hitting five goals in each of their following three matches.
The Celtic manager brought Jota and Kuhn back in after two games on the bench while home boss Jim Goodwin dropped Declan Gallagher to the bench after it emerged the centre-back was not getting a new contract.
United had the better of the early action. Ross Docherty headed over and Ruari Paton hit a weak effort straight at Viljami Sinisalo.
Their momentum was interrupted by a protest from Celtic fans, who threw dozens of tangerines on the pitch while hitting out at the home club’s ticket prices after they were charged up to £42.
Celtic settled into the game and took the lead on the half-hour mark. Liam Scales headed an Arne Engels cross towards the back post and Strain turned into his own net under pressure from Jota.
Paton had a chance to level but was denied again by Sinisalo just before Celtic doubled their lead in the 38th minute when Kuhn sent a cushioned volley high into the net after Daizen Maeda’s cross beyond the back post.
Idah, who was on for the injured Jota, missed a good chance before Maeda had an effort saved by Jack Walton. But the Japanese attacker soon delivered his second assist when he cut back for Kuhn to finish from seven yards in first-half added time. It was Celtic’s 100th goal of the league campaign.
The half-time interval did little to disrupt the champions’ flow. Idah headed home Alistair Johnston’s cross from close range within two minutes of the restart.
Callum McGregor drove forward and played in Idah for the fifth goal in the 58th minute as the Irish forward’s finish beat Walton at his near post.
Idah could not steer a difficult chance home and top goalscorer Maeda’s flick lacked power as Celtic looked to add to their tally in a one-sided finale.
