Celtic demolished Hearts 7-1, and now the question hangs over Parkhead. Does this rout suggest the Hoops operate better without their record signing in the lineup? The scoreline is impossible to ignore. Celtic's attacking prowess looked devastating, their movement crisp, their finishing clinical. Hearts offered almost nothing in response.
But here's what matters for the rest of the season. Celtic won big with their record buy absent, which naturally sparks debate about balance and tactics. Some will read this as evidence the squad functions more freely without that player anchoring the attack. Others see it simply as Celtic playing an inferior opponent without distraction.
The timing raises stakes. If this performance proves anything definitive, it forces Celtic's manager to confront uncomfortable decisions about how to construct the team going forward. You can't ignore 7-1. You also can't build a title challenge on a single demolition.
Hearts were terrible. That's the floor. Celtic were excellent. That's the ceiling. Everything in between matters more than this one result ever will.