CELTIC are just three wins from securing a fourth consecutive Scottish title after a 5-2 win at St Mirren on Saturday.
The visitors were twice pegged back in Paisley by Stephen Robinson's well-drilled Buddies, however, the introduction of Yang Hyun-Jun at 2-2 turned the game in Celtic's favour.
The young South Korean winger scored two, assisted one and had a goal disallowed as Celtic moved another step closer to a 13th title in 14 years.
Following Rangers' 2-1 defeat to Motherwell in Barry Ferguson's home bow, Celtic can wrap up the title with victory in their next three games against the Ibrox side, Hearts and St Johnstone.
Buddies challenge
St Mirren looked the more threatening side in the first half in Paisley with Kasper Schmeichel at his best to deny Toyosi Olusanya, however, the visitors took the lead after 28 minutes through Jeffrey Schlupp's first goal for Celtic.
The hosts equalised through a sublime Declan John freekick from the edge of the box before Celtic regained the lead in injury time, Arne Engels scoring from the spot to make it 2-1 after Ryan Alebiousu fouled Daizen Maeda.
The defender made amends shortly after the restart when his whipped cross into the box was only cleared by Alistair Johnston as far as Killian Phillips, the US-born Irish midfielder's shot cannoning off the ground and looping over Schmeichel.
Yang restored Celtic's lead minutes after coming on when he headed in Reo Hatete's cross to make it 3-2 and he had the ball in the net again minutes later only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.
With minutes remaining, St Mirren were denied the chance to equalise for a third time after referee Matthew MacDermid deemed Johnston's challenge on Roland Idowu a fair one.
Celtic then almost immediately put the game beyond doubt, Yang picking out the run of Maeda, whose clever first touch allowed him space to fire beyond Zach Hemming to make it 4-2.
Yang added the gloss with another headed finish from the same area as his first goal, this time from Schlupp's cross, to take his tally to five goals and four assists in his last six domestic games.
The South Korean, whose only Celtic goal before his recent purple patch came in November 2023 against Aberdeen, also provided an assist for Maeda in the first leg of Celtic's recent Champions League Knockout Round Play-off against Bayern Munich.
Secret to Yang's success
Speaking to Celtic TV after the game, manager Brendan Rodgers said the win was among his 'favourite results of the season' and hinted at the reason for Yang's recent good form as he praised the winger.
"I'm so pleased for him, he works so, so hard, he's such a good guy. Whether he starts or whether he comes off the bench, he can make an impact," said Rodgers.
"To get his two goals — his third goal would have been a great goal but it was disallowed — and his pass for Daizen's goal — to see it and execute it — was so, so good. I'm very, very pleased for him.
"His girlfriend's here at the moment so that's making him really happy and he's in a great mood for a little while now.
Yang celebrates as he scores to make it 5-2 (Image: Craig Williamson / SNS Group via Getty Images)"It coincides with his performance level and the goals he's scoring and creating, so enough said!"
Despite the disappointment of their narrow Champions League exit to Bayern, Rodgers said a less congested calendar would aid their title run-in.
The Hoops face Hibs in a Scottish Cup quarter-final at Celtic Park next Sunday before hosting Rangers in the league the following week.
Victory against the Ibrox side would leave Celtic needing just two wins from their remaining eight league games, with the league potentially being decided before the split.
Jeffrey Schlupp, right, celebrates his first Celtic goal with teammates with Nicolas Kühn, left, and Arne Engels, centre, at St Mirren (Image: Craig Williamson / SNS Group via Getty Images)"There's lot of work, there are nine games to go plus we want to win the Scottish Cup so really it's a focus on one game at the time," Rodgers told Celtic TV.
"Now, thankfully, we can get some freshness back into the players because that's just the little bit that's missing from our defending.
"So many games, so much energy put in, there's just a fraction of concentration and speed in our pressing we're just missing.
"But we'll do that over the course of the coming weeks — with one game a week we can recover, train specifically and then go into the games in a really good place."
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