CELTIC will head to Ibrox on Hogmanay knowing that win over Rangers would mean they enter the winter break with an astonishing and unprecedented 19 point lead at the top of the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership.
This is with a game in hand, at home to Partick Thistle, and a hugely greater goal-difference than their rivals whose draw in Perth surely ended any lasting pretence that a title race of any description would be forthcoming.
Celtic should, of course, win this league at a canter. However, despite the fact they enjoy every advantage known to man, it is impossible not be impressed with the way this team are relentless and ruthless.
Read more: Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: The pressure is all on Rangers in Hogmanay derby
Brendan Rodgers’s men have now gone unbeaten domestically for 23 games, that’s 14 wins in a row now, and seven victories out of eight in this month alone. The draw cam at Manchester City. During this packed schedule, Rodgers changed personnel and tinkered with the team’s formation. It hardly mattered.
Has there ever been a bigger gap at the top of league at this time of the year before?
Ross County worked hard. They closed down Celtic, chased the ball when not in possession, which was a lot, and the message from manager Jim McIntyre that everyone had to get back and defend had obviously got through.
Celtic, however, will always find a way. There are goals throughout the team. That’s 52 in the league already. Even on a bad night, and this wasn’t one in particular, they win.
Ryan Christie got start and showed some real skill at times which was appreciated by the crowd. He won’t start at Ibrox but this lad is a player and can be chuffed with his performance in the No10 role. No matter who starts for Celtic, the outcome remains the same.
Read more: Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: The pressure is all on Rangers in Hogmanay derby
The early exchanges were bitty as the both sides struggled to find a rhythm, although Celtic did play some good stuff in midfield. For their part, Country enjoyed decent possession early on with one whipped cross from Christopher Routis fizzing right across the Celtic goal.
One of two highlights from the first 20 minutes was the sight of County assistant manager Billy Dodds killing a high ball which had gone out of touch and then playing keep-uppy to prove the best never lose it.
And then as Leigh Griffiths attempted to retrieve a stray pass from going out of play, from about he booted the ball right at assistant referee Stuart Hodge. It would have hurt the official. Everyone else thought it was hilarious.
The Highlanders created a good chance for themselves midway through the half. Martin Woods got a run on Jozo Simunovic, delayed and then perfectly played a pass to Liam Boyce who is much better than the woeful shot he produced.
Celtic came within an inch of so from a goal on 26 minutes. James Forrest showed good poise and pace to take the ball across the edge of Ross County's penalty area before getting his pass off to Emilio Izaguirre in a tackle. The left-back’s cross was perfect, Scott Sinclair’s header the smallest of margins from being the same.
Within a minute, a long ball from the County defence tested Simunovic and for once the Croat misjudged the flight and all of a sudden Alex Schalk was clean through on the Celtic goal. He had two chances to shoot and while it was top defending by Erik Sviatchenko to get back and made sure nothing happened, the striker should have been better.
Scott Brown sent a shot into the stand on the half hour, and then the breakthrough was made in the most unlikely manner on 39 minutes.
Sviatchenko stepped up from midfield as centre-halves are want to do, eyed up his options and decided that taking on a shot from 35 yards out was best. The ball finished in the bottom corner.
The game was effectively over in the first-half's added minutes. Stuart Armstrong, excellent once again, got the ball from Mikael Lustig on the edge of the box, dummied a shot – twice – which left poor Paul Quinn with twisted blood, and the Celtic midfielder’s left foot finish was superb.
Read more: Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: The pressure is all on Rangers in Hogmanay derby
What could McIntyre say to his players at half-time? They had not done much wrong and knew even then they were returning to Dingwall with nothing. To their enormous credit, they didn’t stop working.
Celtic passed the ball about as if it were a training match for long periods, just waiting for what felt like an inevitable third. Griffiths went close on 58 minutes when he was picked out by a superb Brown pass, only to place what was a far from simple header over the crossbar.
Scott Sinclair appeared to have been tripped inside the box by Marcus Fraser with 15 minutes to go. Referee Nick Walsh was having none of it. He annoyed the home support with a few of his decisions. For example, Martin Woods was let off with a second booking for a foul on Brown.
Ross County did have some chances in the game’s final moments but the only surprise was Celtic didn’t score more; Moussa Demeble saw a shot well saved by Scott Fox in added time.
Who is going to stop them?
Celtic: Gordon; Lustig, Sviatchenko, Simunovic, Izaguirre; Brown, Armstrong, Forrest (Roberts 70), Christie (Henderson 62), Sinclair; Griffiths (Dembele 66)
Substitutes not used: De Vries, Toure, Bitton, Gamboa
Ross Country: Fox; Quinn, Davies, McEveley; Fraser, Routis (McShane 66), Chow, Woods, Curran, Boyce (Morrison 76); Schalk (Tumilty 62)
Substitutes not used: McCarey, Dow, Dingwall, McLaughlin
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