Ronny Deila will keep Scottish Premiership title celebrations on hold despite his Celtic side despatching nearest challengers Aberdeen 4-0 at Parkhead to go six points clear of the Dons with a game in hand.
Against the run of play defender Jason Denayer headed the home side into the lead from a corner in the 37th minute before the visitors fell apart after the break.
Striker Leigh Griffiths made it 2-0 with a penalty in the 63rd minute and midfielders Gary Mackay-Steven and Stefan Johansen added further goals for Celtic's third win of the season over the second-placed Pittodrie men.
Celtic, who have won all 10 domestic matches this year, can stretch their lead at the top of the table further against St Johnstone on Wednesday night.
However, former Stromsgodset boss Deila refused to write off Derek McInnes's side, who lost their first league game in 14, as challengers.
"I don't take anything for granted," he said. "I have been in football for many years.
"At my former club we were three times leading in the summer by seven points and it took three years to win the league.
"So I know how quick it can turn around if you start to lose focus on the right things.
"If we do everything we have done so far the rest of the season it is going to be very hard for them.
"We have the possibility to get nine (points ahead) and there is goal difference as well, that is getting better.
"So we really have a good position in the league."
Deila admitted his side were "all over the place" before a calming half-time pep talk and he put first-half lethargy down to the late return to Glasgow from Thursday night's Europa League exit to Inter Milan in the San Siro.
"In the second half we were disciplined, organised, balanced, moved the ball quicker and they couldn't cope with the runs we had behind them," said the Norwegian.
"I am so happy for the performance and the result and I am proud of the boys.
"It is so hard to play so many games like we are doing now.
"We didn't arrive in Glasgow until 3am on Friday morning, that is a tough one when you are going to play two days later," added Deila, who is confident that Kris Commons' hamstring injury, which saw him substituted after only 11 minutes on Sunday, and Stuart Armstrong's buttock injury, which forced his replacement off in the second half, is not too serious
McInnes conceded his side took "a sore one" after unravelling in the second half, although he refused to be too critical.
"Celtic showed exactly why they're top of the league because they've got players who can exploit those moments of lack of concentration," said the Dons manager, who claimed Jonny Hayes's calf injury, which led to him being replaced by Peter Pawlett in the first half, was a particular blow to his sides' chances, along with a denied penalty claim at 1-0 when the ball hit Nir Bitton's hand in the box.
"There is a lot to like about my team.
"I'm not going to sit here and be critical of them because the fact you guys (media) are here and excited about the game in March is because of their efforts and that shouldn't be forgotten.
"There is an acceptance that maybe we are not quite ready to go and take them on.
"But there is the feeling we can improve and that's the target for any team."
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