Odsonne Edouard lit up a dull Celtic display with two moments of individual quality to help his side come from behind to beat St Johnstone in Perth.
The Premiership champions risked falling 21 points behind Rangers when Callum Booth gave the hosts the lead early in the second half.
Having struggled to turn possession into chances until then it looked like the pressure on Neil Lennon was set to ramp up another notch, only for Edouard to turn things around in a matter of minutes with two brilliant finishes.
The Frenchman was enough to make it four wins on the spin for Celtic, and while the gap remains at 18 points they look like at least putting up a modicum of belated resistance in the botched 10 In A Row season.
Lennon made two changes to the side that had triumphed in Paisley in midweek.
Shane Duffy came in for the injured Stephen Welsh, while Ryan Christie replaced Albian Ajeti as the second striker.
The opening stages proved cagey, with Kris Ajer blazing over with the first half-chance of the game.
Edouard was struggling to get into it but he burst into life just after the half hour mark.
The Frenchman surged down the left and sent a teasing ball across the face which Christie couldn't quite get on the end of.
Tom Rogic came steaming in at the back post though and looked certain to score, only for Callum Booth to get back and clear off the line.
The defender the hero at one end and he provided a vital contribution at the other shortly after the break.
Booth was afforded the time to swing in a cross toward the head of Shaun Rooney, who had the beating of Greg Taylor and Callum McGregor in the air.
The striker powered his header into the back of the net leaving Scott Bain with no chance.
St Johnstone appealed for a penalty when Duffy appeared to use Rooney for leverage when jumping but the referee waved play on and the hosts were hit by a one-two punch.
First Ryan Christie found space down the left to pick out Edouard, who stabbed into the top corner on the volley.
Callum Davidson's side barely had time to regroup before the Frenchman was at the double, turning intelligently in the box, dancing away from Zander Clark and tapping home.
Having fallen behind it always looked like being a struggle for St Johnstone to breach the defence again.
Their threat was limited to set pieces as Celtic saw out the result for their fourth win on the trot.
3 talking points
King Edouard
When Odsonne Edouard turns it on there are few, if any, defences that can cope and the French Under-21 international turned the game on its head.
After a first half in which he was uninvolved and some might have said uninterested, 'French Eddy' hit two fine goals in a matter of minutes.
That made it 11 goals in his last 11 matches, with the striker very much back to his best.
If he keeps up that kind of form his big move will come in the summer, and in truth Edouard already looks to have outgrown Scottish football.
Saints alive
After a period of real struggle at the start of the season it looked as though the St Johnstone job may be too big for Callum Davidson.
The rookie boss has turned things around though and his side were impressive for long spells here, only to be undone by the quality of Edouard.
Those quickfire goals were the first the Perth Saints had conceded at home all season, and they could yet lift a trophy at the end of this month.
It's been a steep learning curve for Davidson but there are signs he's up to the task.
Problems remain for Celtic
They got the win in the end, but there was more than enough evidence here for why Celtic are already out of the title race.
In the first half they were ponderous in possession, dominating the ball but carving out only one real chance.
They went behind thanks to a typical defensive shambles, with a combination of McGregor and Taylor failing to stop Rooney and Shane Duffy off for a wander.
Some good combination play got them level and Edouard's brilliant turn put them ahead but there was never any questioning thee individual talent in Neil Lennon's squad.
Better players turning it on in crucial moments is enough to win you games against teams with a fraction of the budget but you'd find it hard to pin down what Celtic's style or plan is.
The visitors were worth their win, a fourth on the bounce, but the issues haven't gone away.
