HOODOO - no more. Jinx - no more. Hex - no more. Bogy - no more.

No, it's not a reworking of the Proclaimers hit Letter From America but there was a Proclamation of sorts in West Lothian.

Whatever ghosts had previously spooked Celtic on away trips to Livingston were well and truly laid to rest.

Ange Postecoglou's side retained their three-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Livingston.

It was 15 years in the making but the Aussie succeeded where Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon had failed to do and that was to win at Almondvale.

Not since Gordon Strachan had led Celtic to a 4-1 Scottish Cup success in 2007 had the visitors been so rampant. The Hoops stretched their unbeaten domestic run in all competitions to 29 in the process as Postecoglou's side came up with the goods when it mattered most.

Goals by Daizen Maeda, an own goal from Nicky Devlin and a first league goal of the season for James Forrest - not to forget a missed penalty by captain Callum McGregor - didn't even begin to tell the story of Celtic's total domination in this one at a venue where they have traditionally struggled for both form and results.

Livingston had lost just one of their last seven home league games going into this one while the men in green and white had failed to score in both of the league meetings between the sides this season.

The last side to keep a clean sheet in three consecutive league matches against Celtic were Livingston themselves, from November 2018 to October 2019. David Martindale's team were also the last to inflict a league defeat on Postecoglou's men when the Lions won 1-0 at home in September.

Whisper it quietly now though: Celtic are on the brink. Six more wins - if including a victory at Ibrox against Rangers, of course - would incredibly see the Hoops crowned Scottish Premiership title winners.

'Postecoglou The Tinkerman' was at it again as he rotated his line-up before this one. Four changes in all.

Josip Juranovic dropped out for Anthony Ralston at right-back while Nir Bitton came in for Reo Hatate and Tom Rogic replaced Matt O'Riley in the engine room. In the attack, Liel Abada made way for James Forrest.

It turned out to be an inspired call by the manager. Bitton was outstanding and played like Nir Beckenbauer at times. Rogic was, well, Rogic really. It was Ralston's cross that led to the second goal which gave Celtic breathing space in the game while Forrest's counter saw him move on to 96 career goals for the club. The 100 club surely awaits.

READ MORE: Detailed Celtic player ratings as Nir Bitton underpins emphatic Almondvale victory

It was a small wonder Postecoglou namechecked them all in his after match lowdown and media briefing.

"The players knew it was a challenge today," he said. "They went about it the right way and didn’t shy away from it.

"The boys who came in brought some energy with James (Forrest) and Tom (Rogic), Niro (Nir Bitton) and Tony Ralston these guys have had three games in a week so it was important for us to maintain our energy.

"We set the right tempo and intent from the first minutes. It is the reason we have a strong squad as it gives us an opportunity to rotate it without losing anything from our performances.

"It also means our training is at a good level. It is competitive and when people are asked to play they are ready to take their opportunity which is good for us moving forward. "If we have the ability to change things during games it will help us.

"I know people have said we haven’t been exhilarating in terms of our football every game but you cannot question their resilience. When we have had to find something we have found something.

"The fact we missed the penalty wasn’t going to stop us from continuing and trying to be relentless and playing our football."

It's all about the three Rs for Postecoglou: rotation, resilience and relentlessness.

It's been the hallmark of his team since January. That education for the players and supporters continues unabated.

If you don't know by now, you simply haven't been paying attention. Celtic's relentless domestic bandwagon ploughs on.

"We shall not, we shall not be moved. We shall not, we shall not be moved. Not by the Hearts, the Hibs or the Rangers... we shall not be moved!" was the joyful tune that rang around Almondvale as the Celtic players and Postecoglou took their bow in front of their jubilant supporters at the end of the match.

And even Livingston boss David Martindale admitted that Postecoglou had called it bang on in the build-up to this game by downplaying the significance of the match in terms of the Scottish Premiership title race.

There was no focus on hoodoos or any talk about Celtic's dreadful record on the plastic pitch beforehand. It was all about the next challenge facing the Celtic players.

Postecoglou's psychology clearly worked a treat. The Aussie played it perfectly off the field as much as his players played a blinder on it.

He, and Celtic, were posed a serious question ahead of this clash. A kind of West Lothian question of their own, some might say.

The Aussie and his team delivered and came up with the answers and then some. Then again, that's what champions-elect do - isn't it?