Celtic vs Motherwell: Scottish Premiership report, stats & reaction

Celtic “didn’t panic” despite a shaky start in their 4-0 Scottish Premiership victory over Motherwell, says manager Brendan Rodgers.

After drawing at Dundee United on Sunday, the league leaders took time to get going but the breakthrough came in first-half injury time when Aston Oxborough collided with Hyunjun Yang to give Celtic a penalty.

Arne Engels stepped up and slotted into the bottom-left corner, sending the Motherwell keeper the wrong way.

Celtic had enjoyed the better chances in the first half, most notably when Daizen Maeda’s strike was blocked by Oxborough, and although the Motherwell goalkeeper almost sent the ball into his own net, he and his defence scrambled it clear.

“Motherwell were very organised and made it difficult for us in the first half,” Rodgers said. “We had to improve, keep going and take the risk with the passes.

“In the second half we just needed to up the tempo and the players did that ever so well, pressed the game when we had to, and we looked really creative.”

Celtic escaped an early second-half scare when Tony Watt turned his back on Tawanda Maswanhise’s shot on Kasper Schmeichel’s goalline and deflected it behind.

And the hosts struck again when Engels’ corner was flicked on by Liam Scales and rocketed into the back of the net off the head of Daizen Maeda.

Nicolas Kuhn got the third when his low shot from just outside the box was deflected off Motherwell’s Kofi Balmer and flashed into the far corner.

And Reo Hatate added the fourth with a similar strike as he fired low into the other corner beyond the stretching Oxborough.

“At this time in the season it’s difficult to play in quick succession but I thought the players’ focus in the game was very good,” Rodgers added.

“They didn’t panic and they got the rewards.”