Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

 

Former top flight striker Tam McManus insists he is not surprised to see Celtic taking St Johnstone apart in the Scottish Cup semi-final as he predicted it would happen.

 

Brendan Rodgers’ men pulled ahead at Hampden in the 34th minute when Callum McGregor handed them the lead and just three minutes later it was 2-0 as Daizen Maeda struck.

 

Adam Idah grabbed a third before in stoppage time at the end of the first half, Maeda grabbed his second to make it 4-0.

 

 

Celtic headed in at the break at Hampden 4-0 to the good and it was not something which surprised McManus, who acknowledged they had been very good.

 

The former Hibernian attacker insists that he predicted before the match that Celtic would hammer St Johnstone.

 

 

McManus wrote on X: “Celtic been very good here, thought that they would hammer St Johnstone today tbh.”

 

 

The former attacker believe St Johnstone recently beating Celtic in the Scottish Premiership served to fire up the Bhoys.

 

Player Age
Sinisalo 23
Johnston 26
Carter-Vickers 27
Scales 26
Taylor 27
Hatate 27
McGregor 31
Engels 21
Forrest 33
Maeda 27
Idah 24
Celtic’s starting lineup vs St Johnstone

 

“Would have been smarting from that performance and result in Perth a couple weeks ago”, he added.

 

 

Celtic are firm favourites to scoop up the Scottish Cup as they move towards a domestic treble, with the Scottish League Cup already won and the Scottish Premiership heading to Celtic Park.

 

 

In the first half at Hampden, Celtic enjoyed 70 per cent possession, 14 shots on goal and six of those on target.

 

By contrast, St Johnstone did not have a single shot at the Celtic goal in the opening 45 minutes of the game.