Celtic saw off Kilmarnock in gritty fashion last weekend as the Bhoys rounded off for the international break by keeping their place at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Despite facing sustained pressure at Rugby Park, the Bhoys stood up to the task defensively as Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn made sure of three vital points up the other end.
Considering Celtic’s victory over Kilmarnock came after their midweek exploits against RB Leipzig in the Champions League, putting the reigning champions at risk of suffering a European hangover, supporters would’ve been quick to commend their side for not falling into the traps Derek McInnes set out.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  CelticCeltic | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 3 | 28 | 31 |
| 2 |  AberdeenAberdeen | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 10 | 14 | 31 |
| 3 |  RangersRangers | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 22 |
| 4 |  Dundee UtdDundee Utd | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 19 |
Leaving the Bhoys at the Scottish Premiership summit, similar endeavour will be needed when they travel to face Heart of Midlothian at Tynecastle next weekend.
Before the build-up for the clash in the capital heats up, John Hartson has pointed out why Celtic’s win in Ayrshire could potentially represent more than just three points on the board.
John Hartson on Celtic’s ‘ugly’ win at Kilmarnock
Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show, Hartson believes Celtic’s ‘ugly’ win at Kilmarnock could be a game the Bhoys look back on at the end of the season, claiming victories when you spend time under the cosh can be the most important on the road to title glory.
He explained: “There’s an awful lot of respect now that goes on Kilmarnock’s name. On the back of last season, they’ve not started well this season or as well as Derek McInnes would’ve liked, but you know now when you go to Kilmarnock.
“You’ve got to fight defensively, you’ve got to throw bodies in the way, you’ve got to defend strongly. They’ve got two big centre-forwards. They kick it in-behind, they launch it down the sides, they’ve got good wingers and they get after the ball and press you and the crowd get behind them, they believe in them and they believe in themselves.
“Celtic had to go there expecting a really difficult game, and they did that, and they came out with a fantastic 2-0, a clean sheet and three points at a really difficult venue.
“As Brendan Rodgers said, sometimes, you’ve got to take an ugly win. These games win you the title. You’ve got to take an ugly performance, and you’ve got to get the three points. Done, in the bag, get in, SAS, do the job and get out.”
Celtic did what they needed to do against Kilmarnock
Admittedly, Celtic’s victory at Rugby Park may not have been the prettiest on the eye, but every win at this stage of the campaign counts no matter how it is achieved.
On the face of it, the Bhoys weren’t appalling; they just came up against a stubborn opponent with an effective game plan. Nevertheless, their quality told in the end despite Kilmarnock spurning their own opportunities.
Seeing as the game was played on an artificial surface, it can be undisputed that it turned out to be a leveller of some description.
However, Celtic have a habit of earning hard-fought triumphs when the going gets tough, which sets them apart from the rest in Scotland.
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