HENRIK LARSSON celebrated the New Year with a quadruple and Chris Sutton a double as Celtic attempted to take the spirit out of the title chase with a destruction of Kilmarnock which will warm them going into the winter break. The dynamic duo now look set to emulate the partnership which Sutton forged with Alan Shearer in Blackburn's championship-winning year. There can be little doubt that this sort of form will bring the Scottish Premier League trophy back to Parkhead in 2001.

Larsson helped himself to a stunning four-goal spree in the second-half - taking his season tally to a very impressive 32. His £6m team-mate can also feel more than satisfied with his 13 goals this campaign since signing in the summer. The former Chelsea man and Larsson will now be able to relax in the Florida sunshine as they sit on a nine-point lead over Hibernian and 15 points ahead of Rangers - for five hours at least.

The luck is also on their side and manager Martin O'Neill enjoyed the luxury of naming an unchanged side - but amazingly the Bhoys struggled to create any clear-cut chances in the early exchanges. Kilmarnock goalkeeper Gordon Marshall was being kept busy without really being tested with anything worthwhile from the home side. Bobby Petta showed his turn of pace a few times and in the third minute he played a one-two with Larsson, but his final ball let him down when he should have gone for goal. Moments later, he was lucky to escape a yellow card for lashing out at Peter Canero as the visitors were also looking a threat on the break.

Marshall came to collect a number of crosses from Petta and Larsson as Celtic struggled to break the Kilmarnock defence down.

Finally, the game came to life in the 26th minute as Jackie McNamara charged through the centre after taking Larsson's pass in his stride. The Scotland star, however, was hauled down by Canero and subsequently the Killie defender was shown the yellow card as was Marshall for his protests and Larsson stepped up to fire just wide of the post. Celtic moved up a gear and Didier Agathe showed a quick turn of pace on the right wing before producing an inviting cross which was just too high for Larsson.

The home side were unlucky not be reduced to ten men on the half-hour when Petta was booked for lashing out again at Canero and Joos Valgaeren was also shown the yellow card for a foul on Paul Wright in the centre circle. But the Celtic fans were soon celebrating the first goal of the afternoon in the 37th minute as Gary Hay allowed Neil Lennon's in-swinging cross to run by him and Sutton volleyed home. Wright was also shown the yellow card four minutes later for a foul on Stilian Petrov and Ramon Vega headed McNamara's free-kick just wide.

Celtic started brightly after the break and Marshall had to save at the second attempt a powerful long-range effort from Petrov. Kilmarnock started to commit more men forward in search of the equaliser, but that left holes at the back which Celtic exploited. The home side grabbed their second in the 53rd minute as Gary Holt hauled down Petrov in the box and while the Kilmarnock players waited for the referee to blow his whistle Larsson struck to side-foot past Marshall.

Kilmarnock, however, were not out of it yet and Kevin McGowne powered a header over from Andy McLaren's inswinging corner. But the match was killed off in the 62nd minute when Sutton was presented with a great chance and he coolly rounded Marshall before slotting the ball home into the back of the net.

Agathe then produced a piece of magic with a lob over the defence for McNamara, but his harmless effort was easily saved by Marshall. But in the 70th minute Larsson and Sutton were both on hat-tricks as the Swede comfortably side-footed Petrov's cross home with Marshall struggling to get back across goal. Larsson was soon celebrating his hat-trick when he took a return pass from substitute Alan Thompson before drawing Marshall and then cooly slotting the ball past him for his 31st goal of the season. There was even time remaining for Larsson to add another when he fired home past Marshall with the ragged Kilmarnock defence looking on in disbelief.

Celtic thus closed the door on the first part of the season with a sensational victory - and at the same time, they could also have closed the door on Hibernian and Rangers' championship aspirations.