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Rampant Hearts powered eight points clear of their Glasgow rivals at the summit of the Scottish Premiership to bolster their early championship claims and worsen the struggles around the Celtic team.

Alexandros Kyziridis' fine strike and a spot-kick from Shankland gave Derek McInnes' side a two-goal advantage that the reigning champions could not recover from.

The young defender - one of three youngsters in the Celtic starting lineup - slashed into his own net early on to put the home side ahead at a bouncing their home ground, and it was the 22-year-old's foul that led to the penalty.

Callum McGregor's classy first goal of the season had quickly cancelled out the first goal, and the Swedish attacker almost put Rodgers' team in front, opting for finesse over power and allowing the Hearts keeper to make a crucial stop.

But the unstoppable Hearts side regained dominance to hand Celtic to successive league defeats for the initial occasion since last year.

It also gives the Edinburgh side a significant lead at the summit.

The last time they were so far clear was in the 2005-2006 season under their former manager, when they ended as runners-up - one of just four occasions that a team has not secured the title after building such an advantage in the past 27 years.

McInnes, whose Aberdeen side were second to Celtic on four occasions, has been working hard to downplay title talk, as the club seek their first top-flight crown since 1960.

Rodgers has seen it all before at the club - both flawless and stuttering starts to a season. He's never ended as runner-up.

But on the weekend's performance, this Edinburgh outfit showed they need to be taken seriously.

Analysis: The hosts Take Advantage of Weakened Celtic

The Edinburgh side started with the confidence of a side unbeaten in the league this season - fans' favourite Kyziridis poked a cross in for Shankland to fire off target.

The Glasgow team didn't aid their cause with some unusual sloppiness in possession and they buckled under their initial test.

Claudio Braga's header was touched on to a post by the Celtic keeper and the follow-up from Shankland was diverted goalwards by the hapless defender, in for the absent center-back.

The away side found their rhythm and started stringing passes together. From one such move, the midfielder released Tierney to set up the captain, who slotted home.

Apart from the opportunity for Nygren, the visitors struggled to create much for striker Kenny or his replacement Shin Yamada amid the absence of injured forwards their key strikers.

The home team regained their intensity and versatility in attacking from across the final third. The Greek forward, a standout performer of the club's relationship with shareholder Tony Bloom's Jamestown Analytics, struck low past the goalkeeper from the just outside the area.

Immediately after, Murray tripped the midfielder in the inside right channel and the penalty taker converted. And it could've been an even more handsome win, had replacement Ageu not been denied by the shot-stopper.

The visitors' performance after the break was somewhat summed up in a couple of moments involving big-money recruit Engles.

The set-piece from Engles delivery was in sharp opposition to his midweek exploits in the Europa League win over their Austrian opponents and the Belgium international was then yellow-carded for a cynical foul.

What They Said

Hearts head coach Derek McInnes: "The effort from the squad is evident, the togetherness. That's not always enough to win games consistently.

"What we have got, is good technical ability. You're seeing that from multiple individuals who have been here previously. Recent additions are eager to show that.

"We've got a good thing going at the minute, but it's just one win. It's crucial for us to keep winning. We've got loads to do, loads to do. After the first two rounds is typically a benchmark of where you are."

The Celtic boss: "The second goal was disappointing from our perspective. We failed to push up when the ball went back as a defensive unit so when they pass the ball, they ought to be caught offside but didn't. We have got to do better with the shot.

"Plenty of matches to play for. It's only the beginning. It's only nine games in. Obviously, being eight adrift is not what we would want. The positive is there's so many games to play.

"Our attention must turn on the present and look to find more consistency and better performance in our play."

Upcoming Fixtures for Both Sides?

Celtic are returning to their stadium on Wednesday against newly-promoted Falkirk (19:45 GMT). At the identical hour in the top division, Hearts are at St Mirren.

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