Celtic leapfrogged Kilmarnock into fourth place in the Premiership with a 2-0 win over the 10-man Ayrshire side at Parkhead yesterday.

Swedish striker John Guidetti scored his fifth goal in seven games in the 35th minute with a 25-yard free-kick awarded when Killie skipper Manuel Pascali’s “last-man” foul on Stefan Scepovic earned him a red card from referee Willie Collum.

It was the turning point in a match in which hitherto Killie had been the equal of their hosts.

Rugby Park manager Alan Johnston immediately sacrificed his mercurial midfielder Alexei Eremenko for defender Lee Ashcroft and thereafter the Ayrshire men concentrated their efforts on keeping the champions at bay.

Hoever, Scepovic scored the second with a shot in the 63rd minute and the Hoops ran out easy winners.