Celtic blew Kilmarnock away at Rugby Park on Sunday, hammering Neil McCann’s side 5-1 to make it two wins from two.
Celtic’s £11m signing steals the show in ruthless Kilmarnock rout
The headline act was obvious. Kasper Høgh scored a superb first-half hat-trick in another eye-catching display from Celtic’s record £11m signing. Benjamin Nygren and Luke McCowan then added to the damage after the break, while Michael Schjønning-Larsen grabbed Kilmarnock’s only goal in the 56th minute.
With Martin O’Neill recovering from a minor hospital procedure, Shaun Maloney led the side from the touchline. Afterwards, the acting boss sounded delighted with what he had seen, particularly the way Celtic attacked from the opening whistle and refused to ease off.
“I’m delighted. Really, really happy.” He said. “I thought we were excellent today.
“I’d say the most impressive thing was the mentality. We started the game at full throttle, and we never came off it.
‘Considering the week that we’ve had, it’s a massive credit to the group that they’ve performed like that, and I’m sure the boss is extremely happy.’
“If he turned up on Monday and this hadn’t been the result, I might have been in a spot of bother!
“I’m really looking forward to having him back. We’ve missed him today, and I’m really glad we got a win for him.”
Høgh has wasted little time making his mark. The 25-year-old arrived after scoring 20 league goals for Bodø/Glimt during the 2025/26 season, and his three-goal burst at Rugby Park showed exactly why Celtic spent £11m on him.
T4O take: Celtic still gave Kilmarnock too much encouragement
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – OCTOBER 29: Celtic Assistant manager Shaun Maloney is seen during the Premier League match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on October 29, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Yet the scoreline shouldn’t shut down the debate around Celtic’s defending.
Kilmarnock found their way through far too easily for Schjønning-Larsen’s goal, continuing a frustrating habit of giving opponents cheap encouragement. Celtic controlled huge periods, but Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty still looked exposed whenever Kilmarnock sent direct balls beyond the midfield. That will worry the coaching staff.
European opponents won’t need many invitations. Celtic can dominate Scottish matches while still leaving gaps that sharper Champions League sides would punish without hesitation. Alistair Johnston’s withdrawal at half-time added another issue. Celtic looked less secure after he went off, which again puts the spotlight on the depth behind the first-choice defenders.
Arne Engels brought plenty of quality, although Celtic lost the ball too often in awkward areas and conceded needless fouls. Those moments disrupted their rhythm.
Celtic must tighten up despite another huge win
Out wide, Yang Hyun-jun and Camilo Durán produced flashes of quality, but both occasionally chose the wrong final pass or held the ball too long. Høgh found himself waiting for service during parts of the second half.
Still, Celtic scored five away from home, and their £11m striker had the match sewn up before half-time. The warning signs remain, though. Five goals looked brilliant. The defending for Kilmarnock’s one didn’t.
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