Kris Commons took his tally for the season to 17 with a double as Celtic hammered St Mirren 4-0 in their Scottish Premiership clash in Paisley.
Hoops manager Neil Lennon was looking for one big effort from his players before they flew out to Turkey for the Antalya Cup, a tournament which also involves Galatasaray, Trabzonspor and Dutch champions Ajax.
And he got the performance he wanted against a Buddies side who battled hard but who were ultimately outclassed.
Celtic midfielder Charlie Mulgrew, who, along with Commons, had struck the woodwork in the first half, opened the scoring in the 52nd minute to break the deadlock.
Striker Anthony Stokes grabbed a second in the 58th minute before Commons grabbed a quickfire brace as the Hoops extended their unbeaten league run to 20 games on their march towards the title.
Lennon, who replaced striker Teemu Pukki with Stokes in the one change to his side, had asked for “a little more zest” following three mostly lifeless 1-0 wins.
The visitors had the first real chance in the 25th minute when Commons played in Mulgrew at the edge of the box but although the shot beat Marian Kello from 12 yards, the ball bounced off the post.
The Buddies enjoyed some more luck in the 31st minute when Commons’ chip from 25 yards beat Kello but came off the post, with referee John Beaton awarding a corner although it did not look as if the keeper had got a touch to the ball.
The idea that the first half was destined to be goalless was confirmed four minutes from the break when Commons ended a Hoops attack by heading an EmilioIzaguirre cross from the left over the bar.
The second half began quietly before the visitors took the lead.
Celtic right-back Adam Matthews burrowed his way into the penalty area with little resistance before flicking the ball to Mulgrew to steer into the net from 10 yards.
The second came six minutes later when Joe Ledley picked out Stokes for the striker to guide his shot past Kello.
The champions were in control and Kello made two fingertip saves, the first from skipper Scott Brown and then from Stokes.
However, Celtic were not to be denied a third and it came when Commons stooped to head in an Izaguirre cross.
Two minutes later, the former Derby and Nottingham Forest player made it 4-0 when he slammed a cut-back from James Forrest high into the net from six yards.
It became a case of how many more the Parkhead side would score and Commons came close to getting his third in the 78th minute with a low drive which was on its way to goal before it was deflected wide.
Stokes then fired just over the bar from distance before Saints defender Darren McGregor got a last-gasp tackle in to thwart Hoops substitute Amido Balde, who had replaced Forrest.
Attendance: 5,778
St Mirren: Kello, Naismith, McGregor, McAusland, Kelly, Newton, McGowan, McGinn, Grainger (Mair 75), Campbell (Reilly 84), Thompson (Brady 77). Subs not used: van Zanten, Dilo, Williams, Cuddihy.
Celtic: Forster, Matthews, Ambrose, van Dijk, Izaguirre, Forrest (Balde 79), Brown (Biton 77), Ledley, Mulgrew (Boerrigter 75), Commons, Stokes. Subs not used: Rogic, Pukki, Zaluska, Fisher.
Referee: John Beaton.