BRENDAN Rodgers’ post-match media conference was interrupted by a blaring siren on a day when Motherwell’s designs on putting an end to Celtic’s invincible domestic run also proved to be a false alarm. The Lanarkshire side had pushed the Parkhead side as close as anybody over the course of two stormy, controversial meetings in the space of four days, but the third act of this compelling trilogy was a match too far for the visitors, who were never able to subject Celtic's hopes of stretching their unbeaten run to the symbolic mark of 67 to any real danger.

It was also a day which witnessed the emergence of a new Parkhead hero. Odsonne Edouard, a 19-year-old French youth international on-loan from Paris St Germain, has had to exhibit extreme patience in his hopes to stake a claim for a starting spot ahead of Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths, but it was a show of strength when Celtic pitched him for only his third start yesterday and he didn’t disappoint with a man-of-the-match display which saw him notch his first hat-trick since his youth team days. While it seems more likely that Griffiths or Dembele – assuming he shows no further ill effects from the ankle problem sustained in that naughty Cedric Kipre challenge in the BetFred Cup final between these two teams last Sunday – will lead the line against in the crucial Europa League eliminator against Anderlecht on Tuesday, Edouard did himself no harm at all here.

“Moussa and Leigh are both excellent players, great players,” the Frenchman said afterwards. “I get on very well with them both, especially Moussa with the French background. I am not afraid of any competition, this is football and you always have to be ready. The most important thing is that the team won. But this personal achievement is going to build my confidence and hopefully help me make an impact for the rest of the season.”

Rodgers’ selection clearly had one eye on Tuesday night, a match in which they need only avoid a three-goal defeat. With his old pal from Star United Boys Club in Ballymena, Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill watching on – was he checking out visiting goalkeeper Trevor Carson, or merely Celtic’s job lot of Scotland internationals? – there were six changes in all here. The first of a nine-game stretch in December which will test the squad to the full, there were also rare sightings of Jonny Hayes and Kristoffer Ajer, both of whom did well.

Stephen Robinson made three changes of his own, with captain Carl McHugh surprisingly dropping to the bench. Space was found for Craig Tanner, Andy Rose and Ryan Bowman, while referee Kevin Clancy must have had his fingers crossed for a quieter 90 minutes than his two predecessors Craig Thomson and Willie Collum managed. This he largely managed, although he waved home appeals away within minutes, when Carson punched a cross clear and appeared to catch Tierney on his follow through.

While some sharper work by Moult could have played a team-mate clean through on goal, or caught Craig Gordon napping, going toe-to-toe three times with Celtic in the space of a week was always going to be a challenge for Motherwell’s energy levels. Their manager believed they could win here, but he questioned whether his players truly believed it too, after a performance which quickly became a rearguard action. Losing a goal just after the quarter of an hour mark didn’t help obviously, courtesy of a fine passing move and the predatory instincts of Edouard. Olivier Ntcham, looking more the part with every passing week, played Scott Sinclair in down the left and his low centre was gleefully stuck away for this Frenchman’s second goal for the club.

Quick, strong, creative, good in possession and a willing runner, the 19-year-old’s second of the day was all his own work, picking up an innocuous Tom Rogic pass, forcing stand-in Motherwell skipper Peter Hartley to retreat to the edge of the box then firing in a daisycutter which went through the Englishman’s legs on its way into the Carson’s bottom corner.

The game would have been done by half-time were it not for the day’s only moment of officiating controversy. Rogic had celebrated for at least 20 seconds after apparently making it three before stand side linesman Stuart Stevenson belatedly put his offside flag up. The only possible explanation was that he was uncertain whether it was Ntcham or the backtracking Motherwell defender who got the final touch on the through pass.

While Edouard had to wait for his hat-trick – he had a headed chance which flew past – a goal from nowhere by Motherwell substitute Elliot Frear briefly breathed life into this one. The winger sneaked off his flank to touch a Richard Tait cross past Gordon from close range, and for a while the Lanarkshire side looked dangerous.

The arrival of Celtic's cavalry from the bench changed all that, though. Substitute James Forrest shifted the ball then fired in a typical left foot finish for No 3, then Edouard benefited from a misjudged back header from the otherwise excellent Tait to prod in the fourth. Another sub, Stuart Armstrong, helped Forrest make it five on the day, and ten for the season, with the outside of his right foot this time. The Lanarkshire side never gave up but by now the gap between these two teams, so closely matched all week, had become a chasm.