Deila's Celtic outclass Partick at their ease

Celtic's Gary Mackay-Steven celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game

Joe McHugh

NEW Bhoys Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong made scoring debuts as Celtic beat Partick Thistle 3-0 to go three points clear of Aberdeen at the top of the SPFL.

It was the seventh win on the bounce for Celtic, without losing a goal, with only St Johnstone on Saturday to be played before next week's eagerly anticipated Europa League tie at home to Inter Milan.

Celtic manager Ronny Deila paid Dundee United €2.5m for Mackay-Steven and Armstrong last week and got an instant dividend even though both players are ineligible for next month's Scottish Cup and League Cup clashes between the two teams.

There were three changes in the Celtic starting XI from the side that won at Dundee last Saturday afternoon and incredibly it took debutant Mackay-Steven just 37 seconds to put the ball in the net after the home side failed to clear their lines.

Armstrong had to wait half an hour to celebrate his first goal in a Celtic shirt driving the ball home from 15 yards out from a John Guidetti cut-back.

Midway through the second half Stefan Johansen scored for the second game running when he drilled home a low shot from 20 yards out from Guidetti's pass.

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