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Celtic vs St. Johnstone. Scottish Premiership.

Celtic ParkAttendance42,507.

Celtic 3

  • L Griffiths (18th minute)
  • T Rogic (45th minute)
  • C Mulgrew (67th minute)

St. Johnstone 1

  • D Boyata (11th minute own goal)

Celtic 3-1 St Johnstone: Celtic come from behind to go top

Celtic's Tom Rogic (left) puts his side ahead for the first time just before half-time
Image: Celtic's Tom Rogic (left) puts his side ahead for the first time just before half-time

Celtic returned to winning ways after their European misery in midweek with a low-key 3-1 win over St Johnstone to hoist them to the Scottish Premiership summit.

With Hearts' losing 3-2 at Hamilton, Ronny Deila led his side to the top and they're a point away from second-placed Aberdeen having played one more game.

Deila's men were looking to bounce back after their elimination from the Champions League by Swedish side Malmo in the final qualifying round on Tuesday.

Their 2-0 loss infuriated Celtic fans after they failed to make the groups last term too and they unfurled two banners reading 'Gutless in Malmo' and 'Clueless in Boardroom' before kick-off.

Deila made four changes and one of the players he introduced, Emilio Izaguirre, made an immediate impact by stinging Alan Mannus' hands from a tight angle before Nir Bitton's header was held.

But it was St Johnstone – 1-0 winners at Parkhead in March – who took the lead after 11 minutes to plunge Parkhead into silence.

Dejection for Celtic's Virgil Van Dijk (left) as the St Johnstone players celebrate their own-goal opener
Image: Dejection for Celtic's Virgil Van Dijk (left) as the St Johnstone players celebrate their own-goal opener

Michael O'Halloran's cross wasn't dealt with properly and when it spun off home defender Dedryck Boyata, it bobbled past Craig Gordon and into the net.

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Celtic took a few minutes to respond but when they did, Leigh Griffiths looped a header over Mannus only to see it cleared off the line.

The striker wouldn't be denied, however, and Griffiths made it 1-1 moments as he drove in with the help of a deflection after good work on the left by Izaguirre.

Both sides soon settled into the game and it became a very even contest but neither created much in front of goal.

Celtic forward Leigh Griffiths (left) scores a quick equaliser against St Johnstone
Image: Celtic forward Leigh Griffiths scores a quick equaliser against St Johnstone

Indeed, injuries were more common with both Murray Davidson and Izaguirre unable to continue after receiving treatment, twice in the midfielder's case.

Just when it seemed it would remain level at the break, Celtic went ahead with a goal out of nothing as Tom Rogic put them in front.

He did well to get away from a ruck of defenders to fire home from an acute angle to give the hosts a much-needed lift before the break.

Celtic began the second period positively but Mannus kept out Kris Commons and Rogic shot over then wide.

Celtic's Tom Rogic (left) puts his side ahead for the first time just before half-time
Image: Celtic's Tom Rogic (left) puts his side ahead for the first time just before half-time

As they struggled to extend their lead, the hosts suffered a blow as they lost their captain Scott Brown to injury and after an extended spell of treatment, he was replaced by Charlie Mulgrew.

The substitute made a quick impact as he scored a third, nodding in after Virgil van Dijk headed back across goal after Commons' shot was saved.

Scott Allan – signed recently from Hibernian – came on in the closing stages to make his home debut and he scooped an effort over as the game fizzled out.

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