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• 5 things we learned from a rain-soaked weekend of Premiership action

  There were some big storylines on a rain-soaked weekend of cinch Premiership action.

  Celtic’s lead at the top was cut to five points following defeat at Kilmarnock, 24 hours after Rangers beat Dundee 3-1.

  St Mirren and Aberdeen also recorded significant wins to get back on track, while Hibernian moved up to fourth in the table.

  Here, the PA news agency looks at five things we learned from the weekend’s action.

  Brendan Rodgers’ Rugby Park strife continues

  Rodgers suffered his first league defeat of his second spell in charge when Killie came from behind to win 2-1 thanks to Matty Kennedy’s late strike. The Celtic manager suffered his first domestic cup defeat in Scotland at the same venue in August. In two spells at Parkhead, Rodgers has now suffered 10 domestic defeats and four of them have come at Rugby Park.

  Rangers’ absentee list grows

  Ibrox boss Philippe Clement does not have his selection worries to seek ahead of a big week which includes a Europa League decider against Real Betis and the Viaplay Cup final against Aberdeen. Midfielders Nico Raskin, Ryan Jack and Tom Lawrence and striker Danilo missed the victory over Dundee and midfielder Jose Cifuentes will be suspended for the Hampden clash after being sent off for a challenge on Dundee goalscorer Amadou Bakayoko, although Clement is considering an appeal.

  Late shows saving Stuart Kettlewell

  The Motherwell manager might have been facing serious questions over his future had Mika Biereth not headed a stoppage-time equaliser against St Johnstone. It was a 13th game without a win but the Steelmen were well worth the draw and Kettlewell will surely live to fight another day. It is increasingly clear how important the late goals are though – six of Motherwell’s 15 points have come from 90th-minute goals and a further two points from an 85th-minute goal.

  Livingston are in freefall

  David Martindale’s side suffered a seventh-consecutive loss when Martin Boyle hit the only goal for Hibernian. The run is a long way short of Livingston’s 13-game losing streak on their way to relegation from the top flight in 2006 but they have now slipped five points adrift. St Johnstone survived the past two seasons after eight and then six-game losing runs and Martindale retains belief his side can similarly bounce back.

  VAR’s scope again comes into question

  Dundee manager Tony Docherty felt the video assistants should not have advised a penalty review and presented referee Kevin Clancy with only a partial picture of a shirt pull on Rangers striker Abdallah Sima. Docherty said: “The image presented to Kevin Clancy favours the penalty being given but the reality is, there is bustling in the box, Sima has hold of Aaron Donnelly’s shirt and Kevin Clancy deemed that to be OK. It’s difficult because we are re-refereeing games. Kevin Clancy’s positioning is good and it’s not a clear and obvious error. My problem with it is the image he gets shown. If I see that image I’d give a penalty-kick but you need to take it into context.” Rangers took the lead from the spot and have now been awarded eight penalties in their last nine Premiership games, several of them for shirt pulls which have been highlighted by VAR officials.

• Everton win again as Abdoulaye Doucoure and Lewis Dobbin down toothless Chelsea

  Everton’s second win in four days kept Sean Dyche’s side climbing the Premier League table as a toothless Chelsea found Goodison Park to be as difficult a place as Newcastle in a 2-0 defeat.

  This may not have had the flourish of Thursday, when the hosts scored three goals in the last 11 minutes, but the manner of victory would have been no less pleasing to the Toffees boss.

  Having kept the visitors at bay relatively comfortably, Abdoulaye Doucoure struck early in the second half and substitute Lewis Dobbin drilled home his first Premier League goal in added time as Everton moved four points clear of the bottom three despite their points deduction.

  Chelsea had 71 per cent possession but familiar failings up front cost them and Mauricio Pochettino’s side have now won just twice in eight league games.

  One downside to the afternoon for the hosts was fifth bookings of the season for defender Jarrad Branthwaite and midfielder Idrissa Gueye. The pair will be suspended for the trip to strugglers Burnley.

  The loss of the former – excellent again in his partnership with James Tarkowski – will be a particular blow as Dyche is not blessed with centre-back options. Unused substitute Ben Godfrey’s only Premier League appearance came in the 89th minute in September while Michael Keane was not even in the matchday squad.

  But this Everton team thrives on adversity, as they have shown since the 10-point deduction for breaching financial regulations last month.

  Since being plunged into the bottom three following the punishment by an independent commission they have taken nine points from a possible 12.

  Their extended run is 13 points from six with just one defeat and without the penalty Everton would be above their opponents in 10th.

  The first half was significant only for injuries to both teams’ starting right-backs – Reece James and Ashley Young – a Cole Palmer booking for diving and Jordan Pickford saving the only shot on target from Palmer’s 20-yard curler.

  Gueye was replaced by the fit-again Amadou Onana at half-time and buoyed by the confidence of Thursday’s win and the fact the visitors had not really hurt them, Everton set about formulating a response.

  Winger Dwight McNeil, who has had a growing influence in recent games, had a low shot tipped around the post by Robert Sanchez before threading a pass through to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

  Although the England international’s attempt was charged down by Sanchez, who clattered into the striker in the process and later departed injured, the loose ball rolled to Doucoure and he drilled home his fifth of the season.

  Branthwaite’s foul and booking gave Chelsea a free-kick 20 yards out but Pickford comfortably held Palmer’s low, drilled effort.

  Chelsea sent on Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson to boost their attacking options but Pickford continued to be under-employed.

  That was in part due to the increasing resilience of the defence in front of him, with bodies being thrown in all directions to keep out the threat.

  “You can stick you points deduction up your a***” rang out in the closing stages at Goodison Park, where late substitute Dobbin wrapped up victory in the second minute of stoppage time.

• Manchester City survive scare in battling Premier League comeback win at Luton

  Manchester City survived a scare as they recovered from going a goal behind at half-time to put down a brave fight by Luton and battle to a 2-1 Premier League victory at Kenilworth Road.

  The champions had been without a victory in four games and that run looked like stretching in the most unlikely circumstances when Elijah Adebayo headed in for Rob Edwards’ side on the stroke of the interval.

  City were missing the injured Erling Haaland – with in-form winger Jeremy Doku also ruled out – and looked set to remain seven points off the Premier League summit as Luton bravely held their lead beyond the hour mark.

  Then, Pep Guardiola’s side burst to life to revive their title defence, with two goals in three minutes from Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish turning the game on its head as a famous upset was narrowly bypassed.

  City came at Luton from the off. Inside two minutes, Phil Foden broke into the box down the left and stung the palms of Thomas Kaminski, who beat his effort away well. From the rebound, Silva lashed wide with a hurried miscue when greater composure was required.

  Rodri was next to test Luton’s goalkeeper, drawing a fine one-handed save after unleashing a fierce drive from 20 yards, before the Belgian made his third and finest save of the opening half-hour, diving low to keep out Foden’s bullet effort with a firm wrist.

  City though were getting closer. Julian Alvarez dinked one wide at the near post, getting on the end of Grealish’s intelligent ball into the six-yard box but finding only the side netting.

  But the longer Luton held out, the more frustrated City appeared to become.

  The final 10 minutes of the first half saw Guardiola’s side reduced to speculative efforts from outside the box, either closed down by the hosts’ tireless defence who never let City rest on the ball, or sailing harmlessly behind Kaminski’s goal.

  Then came the moment that stunned the champions. It began in midfield with Ross Barkley, showing sublime strength and skill to hold the ball, spin and release Alfie Doughty racing down the right.

  He moved it on to Andros Townsend, who checked from his right foot to his left, lifted his head and – with a raking cross – found Adebayo rising at the far post between Kyle Walker and Ruben Dias to head Luton into the lead from a yard out.

  The hosets had come within seconds of beating Liverpool and drawing with Arsenal here this season and looked determined to finally earn a win against one of the league’s top sides and to put pressure on 17th-placed Everton in their bid to escape the relegation zone.

  On the hour mark, Dias rattled the crossbar from Nathan Ake’s cut-back in what was the visitors’ first real opening since falling behind.

  Within minutes they were level and it was the architect of Luton’s goal Barkley who was at fault, losing the ball in midfield to Rodri who drove at the heart of the defence.

  He collided with Tom Lockyer who had come across to challenge and as the ball broke loose, it was pounced upon by Silva, barley glancing up at the goal before thumping it impudently first time inside the far post.

  Seconds later it was 2-1 and it was the simplest finish for Grealish. Alvarez’s low cross evaded the desperate lunge of Teden Mengi, arriving at Grealish’s feet six yards out.

  With Luton’s defence breached, he had time to take a touch, decide on his spot and stick the ball calmly between Kaminski’s legs to the relief of visiting supporters behind the goal.

  Luton’s spirit was unbroken and they sought an instant riposte. Barkley ran round Foden and Mateo Kovacic and sent a fizzing right-footed drive inches past the post.

  From that point, City were never comfortable and Luton did not look beaten until the very end, but the champions hung on to end their barren run.