Celtic - 3 Motherwell - 0 This was a game that was expected to provide Rangers with one of the sternest tests of the season, yet they reclaimed top spot with the minimum of fuss and bother.
Celtic had gone a point clear after Saturday's victory over Motherwell, but it was to prove short-lived even though Martin O'Neill's side might have hoped for a longer stay given that Tynecastle invariably provides the Old Firm with a fraught afternoon. Hearts were also boasting the equal best defensive record in Britain.
But while Hearts weathered the storm through the early exchanges, Shota Arveladze eventually unlocked the Tynecastle defence, scoring a minute from half-time for the visitors when he finished off an excellent move involving Michael Ball, Michael Mols and Emerson. It was to be a crucial breakthrough.
Peter Lovenkrands scored the second with a header from a Maurice Ross cross after 51 minutes, Arveladze added the third after 73 and after Hearts keeper Tepi Moilanen had touched an Emerson shot on to a post and Lovenkrands rounded it off in the final minute, the goalkeeper then collided with Egil Ostenstad.
That was the Finn's last involvement, he was led off looking shaken, and defender Scott Severin took over in goal.
In the end it was an unexpectedly comfortable win for the visitors, and their manager Alex McLeish insisted: "We did exceptionally well after a difficult start and the victory caps a wonderful week for us after beating Stuttgart. It was a tough start and the goals were truly outstanding."
Meanwhile after Celtic's win on Saturday, the club's striker Henrik Larsson pleaded not guilty to diving after television pictures suggested he had gone to ground too easily under a challenge from Motherwell goalkeeper Gordan Marshall.
Larsson was booked by referee Iain Brines but on closer inspection it appeared that the official got it wrong and the Swede was backed up by former Celtic keeper Marshall.
"There are people who will dive and cheat in football but I'm not one of them," said Larsson of the incident. "It was clear on TV what happened. I was just about to put it in with my left foot when he caught me with his right. It was a stonewall penalty.
"Gordon Marshall admitted it to me afterwards when I spoke to him. It's obvious that if there is no contact then it's not a penalty and if there is contact then it is.
"But if I got booked for that then I should be in a position to have it taken away."
After the match, Celtic manager Martin O'Neill could not resist having a cheeky swipe at the authorities, after his side were penalised for the second weeks in a row, Didier Agathe having been controversially sent off at Dundee last week.
"The referee said he was 110 per cent certain but so was the referee last week," he said.
