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Rampant Hearts surged eight ahead of Celtic at the summit of the Scottish Premiership to bolster their early championship claims and deepen the struggles around the Celtic team.

Alexandros Kyziridis' fine strike and Lawrence Shankland's penalty gave the Hearts team a 3-1 lead that the reigning champions could not recover from.

Dane Murray - one of three youngsters in the Celtic starting lineup - scored an own goal in the early stages to put Hearts ahead at a bouncing their home ground, and it was the 22-year-old's foul that led to the penalty.

Callum McGregor's classy first goal of the season had quickly cancelled out Hearts' opener, and Benjamin Nygren almost put Rodgers' team in front, opting for finesse over power and allowing the Hearts keeper to make a crucial stop.

But the unstoppable Hearts side seized control again to consign Celtic to successive league defeats for the initial occasion since last year.

It also gives the Edinburgh side a commanding advantage at the summit.

The previous occasion they were so far clear was in the 2005-2006 season under George Burley, when they ultimately finished second - a rare instance that a team has failed to win the title having held such a lead in the past 27 years.

McInnes, whose Aberdeen side were second to Celtic on multiple times, has been working hard to play down title talk, as Hearts seek their first top-flight crown since 1960.

Rodgers has seen it all before at the club - both perfect and shaky beginnings to a season. He's never ended as runner-up.

But on the weekend's performance, this Hearts team showed they need to be taken seriously.

Match Analysis: Hearts Capitalize of Depleted The Visitors

Hearts started with the confidence of a side undefeated in the league this season - the popular attacker delivered a ball for Shankland to fire off target.

The Glasgow team didn't aid their cause with some unusual sloppiness in possession and they buckled under their first real examination.

A headed effort from Braga was tipped onto the woodwork by the Celtic keeper and Shankland's return ball was turned into the net by the hapless defender, in for the injured Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Celtic grew into the contest and started stringing passes together. From one such move, the midfielder released Tierney to set up McGregor, who rolled in.

Apart from the Nygren chance, Celtic found it hard to generate chances for striker Kenny or his replacement Shin Yamada amid the absence of injured forwards their key strikers.

Hearts regained their intensity and adaptability in attacking from across the final third. Kyziridis, a standout performer of the club's relationship with shareholder Tony Bloom's Jamestown Analytics, struck low past the goalkeeper from the edge of the box.

Almost straight away, the defender fouled Braga in the inside right channel and the penalty taker converted. And it could've been an even more handsome win, had replacement Ageu not been stopped by the shot-stopper.

Celtic's second half was somewhat summed up in a couple of moments involving record signing Arne Engles.

The midfielder's wayward free-kick delivery was in stark contrast to his midweek exploits in the Europa League win over Sturm Graz and the Belgium international was then booked for a professional foul.

What They Said

Hearts head coach Derek McInnes: "The effort from the squad is evident, the togetherness. That's not sufficient on its own to win games consistently.

"What we have got, is skillful players. You're witnessing it from multiple individuals who have been here previously. Recent additions are eager to show that.

"We're in a positive moment at the minute, but it's just one win. It's important for us to keep winning. We've got loads to do, plenty to improve. After the first two rounds is typically a benchmark of your standing."

The Celtic boss: "It's a really poor goal from our perspective. We didn't move when the ball went back as a line so when they pass the ball, they ought to be caught offside but didn't. We have got to do better with the shot.

"Plenty of matches to play for. It's only the beginning. It's only nine games in. Obviously, being eight adrift is not ideal. The comfort is there's so many games to play.

"Our attention must turn on the here and now and look to achieve greater stability and more quality in our play."

What's Next for Both Sides?

Celtic are returning to their stadium on Wednesday against newly-promoted Falkirk (19:45 GMT). At the same time in the top division, Hearts are at their opponents' ground.

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