St Johnstone 2-5 Celtic: Moussa Dembele hat-trick extends unbeaten run

Substitute Moussa Dembele scored a hat-trick as Celtic extended their unbeaten run to 29 games with a 5-2 win at St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

Celtic went into an early lead through Liam Henderson (6) but were pegged back when St Johnstone equalised through Keith Watson (31) before David Wotherspoon looked to have been the man who put Saints in front just before half-time - though it later went down as a Dedryck Boyata own-goal (43).

Dembele stole the show in the second half though, scoring a controversial penalty (61) two minutes after coming on before adding two more strikes (75, 85) either side of a Scott Sinclair goal (81) to ensure Celtic ran out comfortable winners.

The victory was not as straightforward as the result would suggest, but sees Brendan Rodgers' side move 27 points clear at the top of the table.

Celtic made three changes to the side that beat Aberdeen 1-0 on Wednesday, but Dembele - who attracted numerous transfer reports on Deadline Day - was only fit enough for the bench.

St Johnstone were without captain Steven Anderson due to illness, and it was Celtic who looked to be set for an easy afternoon when they took the lead just six minutes in.

Patrick Roberts' shot was well saved by Zander Clark but the ball only broke as far as Henderson on the edge of the box, who calmly slotted the rebound into the top corner.

Gary Mackay-Steven came close again shortly after, capitalising on one of many Celtic counter-attacks to find space in the box, but his low shot was stopped down low by Clark.

St Johnstone then rocked Celtic in the 31st minute when Watson rose highest at the back post to meet Danny Swanson's corner, with Scott Brown only able to deflect the ball into his own net.

Celtic came back at the home team but St Johnstone stole the lead just before half-time when the impressive Swanson picked out Wotherspoon in the box, who celebrated as if he had put his side in front, though it was later proved to be a Boyata own-goal.

Dembele's introduction in the 59th minute had an immediate impact though, with the striker confidently placing his penalty into the top corner after Watson appeared to handle the ball inside the box.

The away side then took control, with Dembele calmly putting Celtic back in front in the 75th minute from the edge of the box after a pull-back from Mikael Lustig.

Sinclair extended Celtic's lead 10 minutes later after a counter-attack led by Roberts ended with the striker slotting into the bottom corner, before Dembele completed his hat-trick after finishing in a crowded penalty area.