Two-goal Liel Abada had Celtic in command by half-time although Celtic lost Kyogo (right) to injuryCeltic's Israeli duo ensured a winning end to 2021 as Scottish Premiership bottom club St Johnstone slumped to an eighth consecutive defeat.
Liel Abada's first-half double had the depleted visitors - who lost Kyogo Furuhashi to injury - in complete command until substitute Chris Kane's glancing header halved the arrears.
Nir Bitton lashed in a late third to send Celtic within three points of leaders Rangers, who face St Mirren later, while St Johnstone remain two adrift of Dundee, who visit Aberdeen.
More to follow.
helpHow to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection
St Johnstone
Squad number12Player nameParish
Squad number5Player nameDendoncker
Squad number6Player nameGordon
Squad number4Player nameMcCart
Squad number2Player nameBrown
Squad number13Player nameBryson
Squad number34Player nameButterfield
Squad number24Player nameBooth
Squad number21Player nameCrawford
Squad number27Player nameSolomon-Otabor
Squad number7Player nameMay
Squad number9Player nameKane
Squad number14Player nameMiddleton
Squad number26Player nameCraig
Celtic
Squad number1Player nameBarkas
Squad number57Player nameWelsh
Squad number20Player nameCarter-Vickers
Squad number4Player nameStarfelt
Squad number5Player nameScales
Squad number88Player nameJuranovic
Squad number6Player nameBitton
Squad number18Player nameRogic
Squad number16Player nameMcCarthy
Squad number11Player nameAbada
Squad number8Player nameFuruhashi
Squad number44Player nameDawson
Squad number54Player nameMontgomery
Line-ups
St Johnstone
Formation 3-4-2-1
12Parish
5Dendoncker6Gordon4McCart
2Brown13Bryson34Butterfield24Booth
21Crawford27Solomon-Otabor
7May
12Parish5DendonckerBooked at 85mins6Gordon4McCart2Brown13BrysonSubstituted forKaneat 45'minutes34ButterfieldBooked at 59mins24Booth21CrawfordSubstituted forCraigat 45'minutes27Solomon-Otabor7MaySubstituted forMiddletonat 63'minutesSubstitutes
3Devine9Kane11O'Halloran14Middleton16Muller20Sinclair26CraigCeltic
Formation 4-3-1-2
1Barkas
57Welsh20Carter-Vickers4Starfelt5Scales
88Juranovic6Bitton18Rogic
16McCarthy
11Abada8Furuhashi
1Barkas57Welsh20Carter-Vickers4Starfelt5ScalesSubstituted forMontgomeryat 87'minutes88Juranovic6BittonBooked at 86mins18Rogic16McCarthy11Abada8FuruhashiSubstituted forDawsonat 15'minutesSubstitutes
12Soro23Bolingoli-Mbombo43Mullen44Dawson54Montgomery73Moffat84DoakReferee:Bobby MaddenAttendance:500Live Text
Match ends, St. Johnstone 1, Celtic 3.
Second Half ends, St. Johnstone 1, Celtic 3.
Attempt blocked. Liel Abada (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tomas Rogic.
Substitution, Celtic. Adam Montgomery replaces Liam Scales.
Hand ball by Stephen Welsh (Celtic).
Attempt blocked. Joey Dawson (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Liel Abada.
Nir Bitton (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
Viv Solomon-Otabor (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Lars Dendoncker (St. Johnstone) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Joey Dawson (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Lars Dendoncker (St. Johnstone).
Hand ball by Lars Dendoncker (St. Johnstone).
Goal! St. Johnstone 1, Celtic 3. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Tomas Rogic.
Tomas Rogic (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Jamie McCart (St. Johnstone).
Foul by James McCarthy (Celtic).
Christopher Kane (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Jacob Butterfield (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Glenn Middleton.
Liam Scales (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
