Watch the Sky Sports highlights of Celtic’s flag day triumph

Celtic sent out a declaration of intent as they started the new season with a 4-0 win at home to Kilmarnock.

There were no new signings among the 10 outfield players but they did give Kasper Schmeichel a gentle return to Scottish football as they dominated from the first whistle against the team that finished fourth in last season’s title race.

Kilmarnock inflicted more pain on Celtic than anyone else with two wins and a draw denying Brendan Rodgers a treble on his return while taking four points from the hoops on SPFL duty.

Celtic picked up where they signed off on from their three match trip to the USA but found Kilmarnock happy to play a 5-4-1 that rarely threatened to get out of their own half.

The home side pushed down the flanks at every opportunity with Reo Hatate scoring the opener after 17 minutes following pressure down the left.

Five minutes from the break Liam Scales rose perfectly to send in a header from a corner back across goal into the net at the far post.

It was one way traffic again after the break with Nicolas Kuhn coming off the right wing to score Celtic’s third with a shot that was deflected past Robbie McCrorie just past the hour.

Celtic should have had a late penalty when McCrorie chopped Kyogo Furuhashi six yards from goal but substitute Tony Ralston smashed in the fourth goal from a tight angle in the 90th minute.