The Jambos Move 8 Points in Front at the Summit After Lawrence Shankland's Spot-Kick Overcomes The Hoops

We did not witness at their home ground, since it's far too early for such milestones. The encounter underlined is that Heart of Midlothian have a genuine credible shot of disrupting Scottish football's 40-year dominance by two. That advantage stands at eight points for Hearts over the visitors, whom they comfortably swatted aside. The challenge is now for others.

Key Moments in the After the Break

A brief but pivotal phase made the difference, following a tight first half that was contested closely. What was so notable after they took a 3-1 lead was how untroubled the closing stages of the game was for the Tynecastle team. Alexandros Kyziridis netted the second goal, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful effort past the static the goalkeeper. More joy followed in the stands, the Celtic defender upending the Hearts player for a spot-kick that the captain tucked away. The Celtic manager looked dejected; challenges abound for him.

Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against the opposition.

The Visitors' Fightback

Celtic had actually recovered well from an early setback. Murray, who had a difficult day, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to deal with a ball into the box. Celtic edged their way back into the game, the captain Callum McGregor, turning home a Kieran Tierney pull-back for the equaliser.

Solid Backline

The keeper Schwolow, who had denied from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Engels shot which flicked off Magnússon. Craig Halkett stopped a Shin Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the minutes passed. “We stand firm” has become the favoured chant at the stadium. One cannot overlook the buzz.

• Complete analysis coming soon.