Soccer

Celtic maintain nine-point lead after big wins for Hoops and Rangers

Scottish Premiership round-up: Rangers kept the pressure with 3-0 victory at Hearts.

Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi scores his side's third goal during the Scottish Premiership match against Livingston at Celtic Park. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi scores his side's third goal during the Scottish Premiership match against Livingston at Celtic Park. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire
Wed Feb 01 2023 - 22:36

Celtic maintained their nine-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Livingston.

Ange Postecoglou’s side grabbed all three goals during an excellent first half at Celtic Park with Greg Taylor, Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi on target.

It continued the champions’ superb form, while defeat for Livingston saw them drop to fifth.

Rangers kept the pressure on their Old Firm rivals with a fine 3-0 victory at Hearts.

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Alfredo Morelos opened the scoring after nine minutes at Tynecastle before Malik Tillman added a second before the break.

Morelos wrapped up the points and completed his brace with 22 minutes left to keep up Michael Beale’s strong start in charge at Rangers.

Aberdeen started life after Jim Goodwin with another defeat after St Mirren scored twice late on to claim a 3-1 triumph and move up to fourth.

Interim Aberdeen boss Barry Robson saw his tenure begin in the worst possible fashion with Ross McCrorie sent off with just seven minutes played for colliding with Charles Dunne.

Hosts Aberdeen managed to hold out until half-time before Curtis Main fired St Mirren ahead and, despite Bojan Miovski’s 74th-minute leveller, Main grabbed his second with nine minutes left and Declan Gallagher hit a third on the stroke of full-time.

Daniel Armstrong’s goal helped Kilmarnock move off the bottom of the table with a 1-0 win over relegation rivals Dundee United.

Kilmarnock moved out of the bottom two with their victory after Motherwell lost 2-0 at home to St Johnstone following goals by Drey Wright and Melker Hallberg for the visiting Saints.