2016-12-28: Celtic 2-0 Ross County, SP

That hardly begins to tell the story of Brendan Rodgers’ half season in charge of the club, though. The raking, long-range drives from Erik Sviatchenko and Stuart Armstrong that banked the latest three-points haul, ensured a 14th straight league win, and 23rd domestic game without defeat since day one of the campaign – 22 of these matches having been won. That has allowed Rodgers’ team to accumulate 55 points from the 57 they have contested.

It is a quite astonishing level of consistency last witnessed when Martin O’Neill’s Celtic side of 2003-04 achieved a top-flight record of 25 straight league wins. In doing so, that team bagged 105 goals over the course of the league season. That is surely within reach of Rodgers’ team with the strikes against County meaning they have now scored 52 goals by the mid-point of this season.

Celtic weren’t at their best last night, and haven’t hit real heights across the eight games they have played in December. Yet, they have always had the quality to make the difference and though Rodgers might feel his team will lose this season in the domestic domain, that is no certainty.

Rangers at Ibrox on Saturday might be expected to provide the Scottish champions with their sternest test. Yet, the fact there is now a 16-point gap between the pair – with Celtic having played a game fewer – gives little reason to suppose that the winning run of Rodgers’ team will be halted on Hogmanay.

The range and variety of goal sources and the team’s relentless pressing and prompting to find openings have made Rodgers’ team an irresistible force.

It took until the 38th minute last night for Celtic to get going and they required a 32-yard steered effort from Sviatchenko. The Dane is only a few weeks short of one year at Celtic Park and until his precision low effort – which found County keeper Scott Fox slow in getting down – he had only once before found the net.

The contrast with the man who sealed the latest win for Rodgers’ men could hardly have been more acute. Armstrong, with six goals in the past six weeks to take him to eight for the season, has become the go-to player for goal plundering at Celtic – outstripping both strikers Leigh Griffiths and Moussa Dembele in the final two months of 2016.

He demonstrated his assurance and accuracy when he twisted into space 22 yards out, elected not to shoot, then shifted the ball back to his left side. Just as it seemed he would be closed down, he let rip with a grass-cutting effort that whizzed across the face of the goal and into the far corner of the County net.

It was all academic after that, with a low-key second half failing to produce any more goals, despite Celtic controlling the period and having several opportunities, a Griffiths header the best of them.

Yet, if there was any Premiership side entitled to feel they might be able to avoid succumbing at Celtic Park it was last night’s visitors. For no other reason than Jim McIntyre’s men were the last team to actually do that.

Amid all the shiny stats the Scottish champions have been stacking up in mountainous fashion during their romp through their own backyard, it has been overlooked that they were looking to extend a 12-game domestic home winning run. Ten of these have been achieved under Rodgers, with the other two at the end of last season under his predecessor, Ronny Deila. These came after a 1-1 draw with County in late April that stands as the last time a Scottish team were not vanquished by Celtic in their east end of Glasgow environs.

No-one gave the Highland club much chance of repeating their effort of eight months ago. Rightly, as it turned out, but for spells early on they proved a more stoic and, for the Celtic defence, sticky opponent than might have been imagined.

Ferocious in their work-rate and counter-attacking with alacrity, as many visiting teams have in recent times, they had their ‘what if’ moments in the early exchanges.

A few dozy moments from Jozo Simunovic had to be offset by the alertness of his defensive partner Sviatchenko. When that security was breached, County striker Liam Boyce slashed wide after being sent through early on, while composure and conviction utterly deserted Alex Schalk. It seems that Scottish teams go weak at the knees when faced with the unstoppable opponent that Celtic are proving to be.

It was business as usual as Celtic secured a 14th consecutive Scottish Premiership win by subduing a hardworking Ross County in Glasgow.

County had given as good as they got before Erik Sviatchenko caught out goalkeeper Scott Fox with a 35-yard drive seven minutes before the break.

Stuart Armstrong drilled his second goal in two games in first-half stoppage time.

And Celtic convincingly extended their lead over Rangers to 16 points.

Brendan Rodgers' side have now gone 23 domestic games unbeaten ahead of their visit to the home of their city rivals on Hogmanay.

County, who slip down to eighth, could feel hard done-by to find themselves two behind by half time, but the goals took the wind our their sails after a promising start.

Christie catches the eye

Any suggestions that Rodgers might want to wrap his key players in cotton wool ahead of the Old Firm game were quickly dispelled, with Ryan Christie the only unfamiliar starter.

In saying that, the midfielder's performance may have given his manager food for thought. He was outstanding before being replaced after an hour by Liam Henderson.

It took Celtic a while to unlock a well-organised County defence.

The first clue that they might do so was when James Forrest went on a lengthy run across the park, evading tackle after tackle, before eventually poking the ball to Emilio Izaguirre, who whipped in a cross for Scott Sinclair to meet with a flashing header just past a post.

Armstrong gem

In fact, it took the champions 38 minutes to take the lead and the goal came from an unlikely source – and an unlikely method.

When Sviatchenko does score, it is usually a header from a set-piece, but this time he gathered the ball in the centre circle and advanced before releasing a shot that hardly left the surface as it beat goalkeeper Fox at his right-hand post.

Celtic are 12 points better off than they were at the halfway stage last season

Celtic are 12 points better off than they were at the halfway stage last season

One minute into time added on in the first half, it was 2-0.

Armstrong scored his eighth of the season and again it was a gem. The midfielder threatened to shoot with his left foot, checked on to his right and then back to his left again before rifling a low shot beyond Fox.

Penalty claim

Celtic had chances to increase their lead, notably when a floated diagonal ball from Scott Brown was placed perfectly on the head of Leigh Griffiths, but the unchallenged striker put the ball over the bar.

The second half was a bit of an anti-climax, although the Parkhead faithful were screaming for a penalty when substitute Patrick Roberts was brought down by Marcus Fraser.

County were organised and pressed in high areas, trying to stop Celtic building from the back.

However, the champions had too much in reserve and go into the Glasgow derby in fine fettle and with a handsome lead over a Rangers side who dropped further behind after draw away to St Johnstone.

What the managers said

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "We had to patient. We've seen that in recent games here when teams defend in a low block.

"The pitch is quite bobbly and it means the flow of the game is sometimes interrupted. But I think the players deal with that, technically, very well.

"Once we get the goal, then, of course, the opponent has to come out a bit more. Second half, we killed the momentum of Ross County and really controlled the opening 25 minutes and created more chances. Last 10 minutes, I thought we could have managed the game better. We gave away too many corners and got a little bit excited."

Ross County boss Jim McIntyre: "We had a game plan to be hard to break down and still offer ourselves on the counter-attack. We certainly created two really good opportunities, with Liam Boyce and Alex Schalk. You need to take one of those chances when you come here.

"The first goal is really disappointing. Scott Fox knows he should be saving that. He's been brilliant for us, so I can't be too critical.

"It's a shift for the players with Celtic's movement and I thought they stuck to their guns well in the second half. We defended stoutly and had a couple of half-chances in the last 10 minutes."