Reo Hatate scored his first goal for six months to kick-start Celtic’s 3-0 win over St Mirren.

The midfielder produced a classy finish as Celtic recovered from a slack and goalless first half to take control of the game early in the second period.

Hatate has endured an injury-hit 12 months but he stepped up his comeback from calf problems by easing the tension around Celtic Park.

Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah also netted as the cinch Premiership leaders moved four points ahead of Rangers, who have still to play twice before the split.

With Daizen Maeda absent with a hamstring problem, Celtic missed the wide player’s dynamism in a tepid first-half display.

Yang Hyun-jun was handed a start in Maeda’s place despite his poor defensive work when Rangers equalised at Ibrox last weekend. Callum McGregor started on the bench as Celtic continue to manage his Achilles problem while Maik Nawrocki replaced the injured Liam Scales.

The centre-back was fortunate to escape an early booking for a late aerial challenge on Toyosi Olusanya after misjudging the flight of the ball in his first appearance for seven weeks.

He was far from the only Celtic player to start slowly and referee Steven McLean again frustrated the visitors when he gave them a free-kick just as they broke two on one.

Ryan Strain came on for St Mirren after Elvis Bwomono went off with a head knock and the Australian was quickly booked for a foul on Yang.

That was a rare moment of progress for the South Korea winger though and Celtic only managed one shot in the first half, Matt O’Riley’s drilled effort blocked by Caolan Boyd-Munce.

Boyd-Munce was showing strength and composure in the Saints midfield and Alex Gogic was breaking out of defence to spring some counter-attacks.

The visitors looked the more threatening team in the opening half. Greg Kiltie had a great chance from Olusanya’s square ball but could not make the required contact. Strain had an effort blocked and Olusanya fired over from a tight angle.

Whatever Brendan Rodgers said at half-time had the desired effect as Celtic immediately stepped up several gears.

Furuhashi glanced a header wide when Cameron Carter-Vickers looked likely to score behind him but Celtic did not have long to wait for the breakthrough in the 52nd minute.

Alistair Johnston’s pass inside found Hatate and the Japan midfielder took a touch before quickly guiding the ball into the top corner with the outside of his boot from 16 yards.

Yang miskicked when presented with a good chance moments later but Furuhashi doubled the lead on the hour mark when he headed home Johnston’s cross from six yards.

Zach Hemming saved from Greg Taylor, Hatate and substitute Luis Palma as Celtic kept up the pressure.

St Mirren had seen Scott Tanser and Kiltie, through injury, go off at the start of the second half and the visitors were now struggling to impose themselves.

McGregor was among four substitutes who came on in the 71st minute and the home side were able to make a sixth replacement, James Forrest, because of Bwomono’s concussion.

The winger came close before being involved in the move that led to Idah nodding home from close range in the 86th minute as Celtic outnumbered the visiting defence.

Celtic could be without Daizen Maeda during the title run-in after the Japan international suffered a hamstring injury.

The wide player will miss Saturday’s cinch Premiership contest with St Mirren while Celtic assess the extent of the damage.

Rodgers said: “He picked up an injury high up in his hamstring, his tendon, so we will have to see what that looks like in the coming weeks. But he is certainly not available for the weekend.

“We will see where it goes in the next week or so and then we will understand better what inclusion he will have between now and the end of the season.

“Liam Scales has picked up a slight strain in his abductor so the likelihood is that he won’t be involved.”

With Luis Palma fully fit after a calf problem and Nicolas Kuhn settling in, Rodgers played down the potential loss of Maeda.

“He has done fantastic for us and was very, very good last weekend,” he said. “But if it is to be, and he is out, there will be an opportunity there for someone else to come into the game.

“What he brings, the intensity and pressing, of course that’s big for us. But it’s an opportunity for other players to step up and bring that level of intensity and bring their individual brilliance to the game.

“It’s not something you can dwell on too much. We have had a lot of key players out this year but you still have to continue, and I’m liking what I see of the team just now, the focus and energy, the quality we are showing.”

Callum McGregor returned off the bench in last weekend’s 3-3 draw against Rangers but Rodgers warned his captain’s Achilles issue will still need to be monitored carefully.

“He has come through well,” the former Liverpool manager said. “We are still clearly managing him.

“He did absolutely incredible to be available for the game. The timeline was beyond Rangers. But he worked so hard, he wanted to put himself out there.

“He had only trained a few days coming into the game, so this week has been another good week for him. We just have to manage it, he is not out the woods at all.

“But seeing him in training earlier, he looked really good. But it’s also recognising that he had been out quite a long time and, no matter who you are, if you’ve missed five-odd weeks of training, you are not obviously going to be at your best level of football fitness-wise.”

Meanwhile, Rodgers expressed hope that Mikey Johnston can replicate his West Brom form when his loan spell at the Baggies ends.

The 24-year-old winger has collected the Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month award after hitting four goals in five games in March.

“What he has demonstrated is no surprise,” Rodgers said. “He is one of the best talents to come out of this academy, he is quick, direct, can score goals.

“So for him to get that award – there’s some outstanding players in the Championship – shows you how well he has done.

“Hopefully he can continue with that and come back to Celtic in the summer and feel really energised again, full of confidence, and be ready to make an impact.”

Celtic hit form with a 7-1 victory over Dundee following a first-half goal spree at Parkhead.

Cameron Carter-Vickers started the rout in the seventh minute and goals from Adam Idah, Matt O’Riley and Daizen Maeda had Celtic four up before the half-hour mark.

Greg Taylor and Callum McGregor made it six before the break and Daniel Kelly marked his league debut with a brilliantly-taken goal.

Dundee were down to 10 men through Finlay Robertson’s red card when they pulled a goal back from Michael Mellon, although the atmosphere had already lost a bit of an edge following Rangers’ comeback at Kilmarnock.

The Light Blues’ 2-1 victory keeps them two points ahead of Celtic at the top of the cinch Premiership.

However, Celtic have moved back to one behind on goal difference and secured a morale boost with their biggest win of the season after struggling to find their groove since the winter break. They had drawn twice in their previous four league matches and needed stoppage-time winners in the other two.

Manager Brendan Rodgers had called for positivity from the stands on the eve of the game after referencing the dissent that greeted one of his substitutions during the champions’ late win at Motherwell on Sunday.

His players ensured there was no opportunity for any negativity to emerge, although Dundee twice came close in the first two minutes through Curtis Main and Owen Beck.

Beck had kept Maeda quiet at Dens Park on Boxing Day but Yang Hyun-jun got an early edge when he got past him and drew a foul which earned the on-loan Liverpool left-back a booking.

There was further punishment from O’Riley’s free-kick as Carter-Vickers rose above Amadou Bakoyoko to head home his first goal of an injury-disrupted season.

Beck was fortunate not to receive another booking from referee Matthew MacDermid for a reckless tackle on Yang and Celtic continued to put the visitors under pressure as O’Riley was twice denied.

The home support were given another boost when news emerged of Kilmarnock’s opener and Idah had them celebrating in the 18th minute with a brilliant header from Alistair Johnston’s cross to net his fifth goal since joining four weeks ago.

O’Riley ran on to Taylor’s perfect cross to head home four minutes later and the midfielder turned provider as his pass found Maeda’s run across the box. The Japan international had plenty to do but a brilliant touch fooled Joe Shaughnessy and he curled into the far corner.

O’Riley sent a brilliant volley off the bar from 22 yards and Taylor’s run into the box was rewarded when Johnston’s cross ultimately fell for him as the left-back stroked home from eight yards in the 36th minute.

Main had a goal disallowed for offside following a VAR check before McGregor drilled home in stoppage time after an exchange of passes with Taylor with Yang once again involved.

Celtic went off at half-time amid noise akin to a Champions League night but the atmosphere dampened down as news of two quickfire goals from Rangers filtered through early in the second half.

Dundee manager Tony Docherty had made three half-time changes and his side looked more compact but half-time substitute Kelly showed composure beyond his 18 years to curl into the top corner after Yang’s low cross came to him on the edge of the box.

The Celtic Park DJ dug out the Magnificent Seven theme tune that used to follow Henrik Larsson’s many Parkhead goals and more fanfares looked on the cards.

Luis Palma curled off the Dundee bar and Robertson received a second yellow card for a late challenge on Johnston in the 76th minute.

However, it was Dundee who added to the scoring eight minutes later when Mellon volleyed home a cross from fellow substitute Aaron Donnelly.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers praised his players’ mentality after they followed up their derby triumph with a dominant 3-0 win over St Mirren.

The cinch Premiership leaders maintained the eight-point advantage they opened up with Saturday’s victory over Rangers, thanks to a flying start which saw Daizen Maeda net inside 60 seconds and Matt O’Riley slot home his 10th goal of the season six minutes in.

St Mirren had Toyosi Olusanya sent off in first-half stoppage-time and had goalkeeper Zach Hemming to thank for keeping the score down after Greg Taylor volleyed home on the hour mark.

Rodgers said: “It can always be a tricky game mentally and physically after a Rangers game but I thought we dealt with it really well and we made the start we wanted to. It was good tempo, good speed, so that set us up well in the game.

“These games are so important and I think as we work together more the players understand more the mentality that is required and the demands and you can now see the standard of performance we have put in place. And then the results will come.

“The second half the only downside was we never took the chances we created but we were much better 11 v 10 than we were at the weekend.

“We spoke about that after Rangers. You have to really dominate possession and counter press and we did that really well in the second half.”

Celtic have won all four of their games over the festive period after losing consecutive league matches for the first time in a decade.

“I think you can see that it is getting better and improving,” Rodgers said.

“Those results against Kilmarnock and Hearts, it was about learning from those. I think you can see the difference in the team and how they are working.

“And sometimes you need that. To have success you need to have that bit of adversity. How the players have responded to that has been fantastic.

“Their mentality, their attitude, the speed, the tempo of the games is what we want as well with much more creativity. The second part of the season I am excited about.”

Olusanya was sent off after catching Joe Hart in the face with his studs with a high boot following a VAR review but the game already looked beyond St Mirren.

Manager Stephen Robinson said: “It was a long evening. You can’t start like that and win football matches. Effectively the game was dead after six minutes.

“The more you come out the more they can open you up, so the game plan goes out the window.

“Frustrating, because we spoke about getting done on our inside shoulders with Maeda’s runs, and for the third goal we also got done for dropping our runner.

“As well as Celtic showed a lot of quality, of course, we didn’t control that situation well enough.

“Then it’s compounded by the red card which makes it damage limitation whichever way you dress it up.”

Celtic forward Daizen Maeda faces six weeks out after suffering a knee injury in the challenge that earned him a red card against Atletico Madrid.

Maeda was initially booked following a 50-50 with Mario Hermoso but the yellow card was upgraded to a red following a VAR review.

The Japan attacker had left a leg dangling and Hermoso went down in dramatic fashion after catching Maeda’s studs as he followed through.

Manager Brendan Rodgers said: “Daizen will probably be up to six weeks out with the injury from the challenge. He has strained his medial knee ligament which comes from when you just knock a player on the foot.

“If he was in stronger in the challenge he probably wouldn’t have had the injury. The clash of feet has just opened up the knee ligament.

“It’s a big shame for us because he has been brilliant for me since I came here.

“It’s a big loss because his attitude and mentality going into every game is superb. He initiates the pressure for us at the top end.

“It’s a real shame because he has been like a machine since he came to Celtic, watching him before I arrived and then coming here and seeing what he does every day and in the games, he is incredible. He hasn’t had too many knocks.

“But I always say, it’s an opportunity for someone else to come in and play.”

The injury blow compounded Rodgers’ frustration with the decision to send Maeda off in the 6-0 Champions League defeat.

“You only have to assess the incident. Everyone could see if you know football at all that there was no intention, he was just overstretching and both players clash feet,” he said.

“The irony is that as soon as the red card went up, their player miraculously got up off the floor.”

Liam Scales admits Celtic need to be more streetwise in Europe.

Brendan Rodgers’ side have been very competitive with a full quota of players in the Champions League but three red cards in four games have proved costly.

Daizen Maeda’s dismissal in Spain on Tuesday led to a 6-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid, which leaves Celtic bottom of Group E with one point and in need of wins over Lazio and Feyenoord and favours from Diego Simeone’s team.

Centre-back Scales, who has not been booked in the Champions League, said of the red cards: “It’s probably that we are a young team and maybe a bit naive at times.

“You come and play in Europe and the referees, you get nothing out of them. They are a lot stricter and tackles that you might get away with domestically, they give.

“With VAR, you are going to pick up red cards in the way we’ve been doing.

“It’s frustrating, because I think with 11 players on the pitch we had started the game quite well.

“I know we had conceded earlier before the red card, but I thought we had quite a bit of the ball, and it definitely would have been a more even game with 11 men.”

Scales also believes they need to learn from the animated reaction of the Atletico bench when Maeda made his tackle and was initially booked, before VAR intervened.

Scales said: “To be honest, you see the way they react and all of their staff are up off the bench. It definitely doesn’t help.

“The VAR screen is right beside their bench as well, and he (the referee) was probably feeling the pressure.

“They are definitely more street-smart than us, that’s for sure, the way they influence the referee.

“It’s not the nicest part of the game, but it helps them win games and we could definitely learn from it.”

The manner of defeat has led to some soul-searching among the Celtic support about their level in European football but Scales pointed out they had drawn with Atletico two weeks earlier.

“I think we’re at the level, it’s just naivety and poor decisions at times have let us down,” the Republic of Ireland international said.

“Some of the goals, we could have defended better, we need to look back on that and see what we could have done better defensively.

“But it’s still difficult with 10 men away from home to get results at any level, and especially there.”

Celtic now travel to Rome needing a win on November 28.

“There’s a few games left in the group and now it’s just about bouncing back and doing as well as we can, because the Lazio game was so tight and it could have gone either way, and we feel that we can go there and get a result,” Scales said.

“It’s the same with Feyenoord at home. We were doing well in Feyenoord up until the couple of red cards, and the same happened here.

“I think we just have to bounce back, that’s it.”

Daizen Maeda was sent off as Celtic suffered a thumping 6-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid to leave them adrift in their Champions League group.

Celtic were already trailing to Antoine Griezmann’s deflected goal when Maeda saw a yellow card upgraded to a red following a VAR review midway through the first half at the Estadio Metropolitano.

Alvaro Morata and Griezmann both netted doubles and Samuel Lino and Saul Niguez scored as Atletico capitalised on their numerical advantage in devastating fashion with a string of spectacular second-half goals.

The damage was done when Maeda left a foot dangling as he went in for a 50-50 challenge with Mario Hermoso, who rolled around on the floor after being caught on the shin as he followed through.

Atletico boss Diego Simeone and six or seven of his backroom staff raced off the bench after the incident, sparking an angry reaction from Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers when the referee was called to his monitor.

Rodgers was booked for dissent as Simeone dragged one of his colleagues back from confronting the Celtic boss.

Celtic are now five points adrift of third-placed Feyenoord and, although not eliminated, they will need to beat Lazio and the Dutch side in their final two games while relying on favours from Atletico to have any hope of extending their European run beyond Christmas.

They will travel to Rome for the November 28 game with Lazio without Maeda and fellow winger Luis Palma, who picked up his third yellow card of the campaign when he was booked for dissent.

Rodgers picked the same team that played the bulk of the 2-2 draw with Atletico two weeks ago. That meant Paulo Bernardo came in for David Turnbull, who had scored in each of Celtic’s last two league games.

Griezmann started in midfield and opened the scoring in the sixth minute after Celtic twice put themselves under pressure.

Joe Hart sliced a punch clear under no pressure following a corner and Callum McGregor headed a poor clearance straight to Griezmann.

The Frenchman shot from 20 yards and a deflection off Cameron Carter-Vickers took the ball out of Hart’s reach and into the bottom corner.

Palma forced a save with what would prove Celtic’s only effort on goal as they tried to respond and McGregor soon saved his side by blocking from Rodrigo Riquelme following a counter-attack.

The red card soon followed and, although Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved brilliantly from Morata’s sliced clearance, the rest of the game was an exercise in defending for Celtic.

Griezmann, twice, and Nahuel Molina threatened before the France international’s diagonal ball exposed Celtic in first-half stoppage time. Jose Maria Gimenez headed across goal for Morata to slide in and convert from close range.

The onslaught continued, even before the interval, when Hart saved from Angel Correa.

Rodgers brought on Oh Hyeon-gyu for Palma at half-time as he maintained his 4-3-2 formation throughout.

Griezmann continued to threaten on regular occasions and Gimenez headed off the bar before the Frenchman netted with a scissors kick on the hour mark after meeting Alistair Johnston’s headed clearance.

Substitute Lino took a step inside Johnston and curled in a brilliant fourth six minutes later.

Correa hit a post before Morata took a touch on the edge of the box and lashed a shot into the roof of the net in the 76th minute.

Celtic finished the game with a midfield of Turnbull, Odin Thiago Holm and Tomoki Iwata and they lost a scrappy goal in the 84th minute when Niguez finished from close range.

Their heaviest European defeat had come in Spain under Rodgers seven years ago and Atletico could not emulate that 7-0 victory amid further pressure.

Alistair Johnston hailed team-mate Daizen Maeda as a “machine” after the Celtic forward capped a fine performance against Livingston with his side’s third goal.

Brendan Rodgers’ men were ahead through a Reo Hatate penalty when Joe Hart was sent off for a foul on Mo Sangare.

However, Celtic extended their advantage through Matt O’Riley before claiming a third from Maeda in stoppage time.

Johnston hailed the Japanese international as an inspiration for his tireless running.

The Celtic full-back said: “He’s a machine. That’s the simplest way to look at it.

“You look back at the Rangers match and he was just flying around the pitch for 90 minutes and it was the same in this match as well. He’s got an unbelievable engine.

“He’s a nightmare to play or train against. Just ask any of our full-backs who have to go up against him. He’s just constant.

“He’s like this every day, which makes it really difficult for us, although it’s good to train against a guy like that. You can never take a minute off.

“He really does count for two on that side as you think you bypass him with the ball and he’s doubling down, pressing the guy again.

“It’s amazing to watch from my side across the pitch as you know the guy doesn’t know what’s coming as all of a sudden Daizen is there again. He’s a joy to have in your team, he’s such a weapon.

“He just helps us out in so many ways; the attacking side we see the goal he scored in the 90th minute and then the defensive side as well. He’s really special to have.”

Livingston manager David Martindale praised Celtic’s performance and rubbished the notion that they have not been as good since Ange Postecoglou left the club.

“I watched them on Tuesday (in the Champions League against Feyenoord) and I thought they were fantastic in the press, trying to get the ball back,” he said.

“There have been a few things floating about ‘they are not the same’ or ‘they’ve not clicked’, but I think you saw a wee bit of a change with the Champions League and then today.

“I think they showed true character and true spirit when they went down to 10 men. But we shoot ourselves in the foot by giving away a really avoidable second goal. When I look at all three goals, they’re really avoidable.”

Daizen Maeda wants to “share the joy and happiness” with Celtic fans again as he looks to build on last season’s success.

The tireless Japan forward signed a new four-year deal earlier this month – testament to the success he has enjoyed in Glasgow since arriving from Japanese side Yokohama F.Marinos at the start of 2022.

Maeda has scored 19 goals in 71 appearances – including a goal on his debut against Hibernian at Celtic Park – and has won four trophies, including last season’s historic domestic treble.

Added to that, the 25-year-old’s family have adapted well to life in Scotland and, speaking to Celtic TV, he said: “It is amazing to be able to play for Celtic for many more years.

“I would like to share the joy and happiness with the supporters and have more success again.

“I can’t live in a place where my family doesn’t settle well.

“Fans and supporters in the city and at the nursery for my kids have helped us a lot, so now we feel that the city is very comfortable to live.”

Maeda has been capped 12 times for Japan, scoring three goals, the most recent coming last month in a 4-1 Kirin Cup win over Peru.

The attacker is looking forward to returning home again next week with Celtic as the Scottish champions take on Gamba Osaka and Maeda’s former club, Yokohama F.Marinos, in pre-season friendlies, which will give the Hoops players more chances to impress new boss Brendan Rodgers.

“He is a fantastic manager,” Maeda said. “As a team, we are aiming to achieve success again with the new gaffer this season.

“Individually, I want to perform better than last season.

“I went back to Japan recently for national-team duty, but it will be the first time to go back and play some games as a Celtic player, so I’m looking forward to it.

“Marinos are a strong team. The team was strong when I was there too, and they have been winning the league recently but, yes, I want to beat them.

“They are pre-season games. We have to try to win but also we will be playing to prepare for next season.”

Meanwhile, Celtic have announced a friendly against Wolves in Dublin. Rodgers’ side, after their trip to Japan, will face the Premier League side at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, July 29, with a 2pm kick-off.