Motherwell 1, Celtic 3: Maeda, Idah and Jota are Celtic heroes
Celtic ran out comfortable winners against Motherwell at Fir Park, as life after Stuart Kettlewell began for the Lanarkshire side.
Daizen Maeda put the champions ahead in 54 seconds, and they restored their lead on the half-hour, seven minutes after Luke Armstrong had levelled on his first Motherwell start.
Jota then got a stoppage-time goal to seal the win, though that was harsh on Motherwell.
Sure, Celtic had chances to stretch their lead and were twice denied in the second half through VAR calls, but Motherwell also made them work hard for their win.
The Fir Park club will be looking for a new boss to replace Kettlewell, who stepped down on Monday.
Motherwell caretaker boss Stephen Frail made two changes from the side that lost at St Johnstone last weekend, with Dom Thompson and Luke Armstrong in for Harry Paton and Tony Watt. New signings Luke Plange and Will Dickson were on the bench.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers made four changes from the side that lost 3-2 at Aston Villa. Anthony Ralston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Luke McCowan and Daizen Maeda came in for Alistair Johnston, Liam Scales, Arne Engels and Yang. New signing Jota was on the bench.
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Celtic looked lively from the start and took the lead a minute into the game when Anthony Ralston's cross from the right was headed into the near post corner by Maeda.
Dom Thompson's corner from the right in seven minutes flashed across the Celtic goalmouth, but with no takers.
Motherwell levelled in 23 minutes when Armstrong capitalised on a loose ball inside the box to rifle a shot into the bottom right corner.
A potential push on Cameron Carter-Vickers saw it go to a VAR check, but the decision was no foul.
Parity lasted just seven minutes, however, when Maeda made his way to the left bye-line and his cut-back was slid into the net by Idah.
Tawanda Maswanhise had a chance to level again moments later, uut slid his shot just wide of the left post, from wide on the right.
Celtic should have scored a third in 37 minutes, but Maeda headed Luke McCowan's corner from the right past the far post.
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Maeda collected a clever McCowan pass in 43 minutes and tried to flip it over Ellery Balcombe, but the keeper got enough on it to divert the ball over the bar.
Celtic had the ball in the net five minutes into the second half when Idah made his way down the right and his driven cut-back was turned into his own net by Tom Sparrow, but VAR ruled it offside.
McCowan had a shot well saved by Balcombe in 59 minutes.
Celtic had another goal chalked off in 60 minutes when an offside prevented Nicolas Kuhn from scoring an overhead kick.
Idah hit the left post with a low shot from 18 yards in 65 minutes as Celtic continued to threaten.
Substitute Jota flashed a shot wide of the right post three minutes later.
Ralston sent Idah through on a long ball in 70 minutes, but Balcombe made a good block at the left post.
Carter-Vickers headed over from a corner on the left, 60 seconds later.
Reo Hatate had a shot punched past the right post in 83 as Celtic tried to make the points safe.
Jota had another run down the left wing in 88 minutes, but shot straight at Balcombe.
Maeda then turned supplier for Jota to get a goal on his Celtic return.
MOTHERWELL: Balcombe, Kaleta (Paton, 38), O'Donnell, Gordon, Blaney, Thompson (Zdravkovski, 76), Halliday (Dickson, 76), Sparrow, Nicholson (Wilson, 62), Maswanhise (Plange, 62), Armstrong.
Subs (not used): Connelly (GK), Balmer, Watt, Andrews
CELTIC: Schmeichel, Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor (Scales, 83), McGregor, McCowan (Engels, 65), Hatate (Bernardo, 83), Kuhn (Jota, 65), Maeda, Idah (Yang, 79)
Subs (not used): Sinisalo (GK), Johnston, Nawrocki, Kenny
Referee: Calum Scott
Attendance: 8293
