Bahrudin Atajic got off the mark for Celtic as Neil Lennon’s side made it 12 goals in two matches since their European exit with a convincing Scottish Premiership win at Fir Park.
Celtic dominated throughout against a Motherwell side who failed to lift a sparse home support following their shock Scottish Cup defeat by Albion Rovers as the visitors followed their 7-0 win at Hearts with a 5-0 triumph.
Kris Commons opened the scoring two minutes before half-time with a backheel and netted a rebound after Efe Ambrose had headed the second.
Anthony Stokes and Atajic finished the rout to send Celtic into their final Champions League game of the season in Barcelona on Tuesday on a high. Calls from the Scottish FA to keep pyrotechnics away from grounds were not heeded as a flare was lit in the Celtic end before a green smoke bomb was thrown on the pitch.
There was a more positive display from the away support as a banner of Nelson Mandela was held up as supporters paid tribute to the former South African leader’s life with a minute’s applause.
Both sides lined up with similar formations with three central defenders and two attackers but Celtic’s midfield three of Scott Brown, Kris Commons and Joe Ledley were more attack-minded and they played their way through the heart of the Motherwell defence inside 20 seconds, but Gunnar Nielsen parried Mikael Lustig’s shot. Nielsen then spilled Antony Stokes free kick but recovered to hold. Motherwell’s difficult start continued when Fraser Kerr pulled up injured with Adam Cummins replacing him.
Shaun Hutchinson was booked for a heavy tackle on Pukki, despite looking like he had got the ball.
It was the visitors’ turn next to be unhappy with referee Steven McLean when they appealed for a penalty in the 20th minute when Brown’s cross hit Steven Hammell’s hand.
The left back’s arm was down by his side and the ball came at him from close-range only for McLean to give a corner.
Celtic continued to press. Emilio Izaguirre made a run down the left and his cross was met by Lustig who could only head over.
Motherwell managed to get the game moved further up the park as the half progressed but Ledley managed to find a gap in the home defence to release Pukki only for the forward’s shot to be saved.
Just as the hosts looked more comfortable Celtic took the lead in the 43rd minute. Pukki’s driven cross found Stokes at the far post and he sent in a wayward shot which Commons flicked home with his back to goal from four yards.
Motherwell captain Keith Lasley was booked for protesting in the aftermath of the goal and while the complaints continued, a missile thrown from the Celtic support flew over goalkeeper Fraser Forster’s head and play was quickly halted after the restart when a green smoke bomb went off in his goalmouth.
Ledley and John Sutton headed just over at either end in the opening stages of the second half but Celtic doubled their lead in simple fashion in the 54th minute when Ambrose rose at the back post to head home a floated corner from Mulgrew.
There was to be no response from Motherwell as Celtic created a stream of chances.
Lustig played in the overlapping Brown but Nielsen blocked before Stokes was foiled by the Faroes goalkeeper.
Pukki then shot over after being set up by Lustig before being booked for diving in the box despite appearing to be hurt by a Cummins challenge. Nielsen saved from Ledley and then parried Izaguirre’s curler in the 75th minute, only for Commons bundle home the rebound.
Celtic broke a minute later with Pukki having yards of space on the right to send a cross to Anthony Stokes to sweep home the fourth before Atajic calmly lobbed Nielsen in the final minute.