Celtic moved level on points with Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts after a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Falkirk at Celtic Park.
Martin O'Neill's side successfully took advantage of playing before their title rivals by piling the pressure on Rangers and Hearts - who are not in action until Sunday.
Daizen Maeda and Kieran Tierney provided two excellent first-half finishes as the Bairns were punished for passing up some big opportunities.
Kyrell Wilson's sublime half-volley in the second period gave the visitors some hope of a comeback, but Maeda then added his second of the evening seven minutes from time to secure three crucial points in the race for the title.
The Champions have now won four matches in a row and have four games left to defend their Premiership crown.
Sixth-place Falkirk now face an uphill battle to get among the European spots, having won just one of their last five in all competitions.
How Celtic bested spirited Falkirk
It was always going to a tough afternoon for the hosts after losing three key players in Scott Bain, Filip Lissah and Liam Henderson to injury in last weekend's Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by rivals Dunfermline Athletic.
However, they actually started the better of the two sides.
Captain Brad Spencer had an excellent volley from distance pushed wide by Viljami Sinisalo at full stretch before Dylan Tait headed wide following a neat corner routine.
But as John McGlynn's side have learned in their four matches against Celtic this campaign, you must be ruthless against the champions.
Maeda, just as he did in Sunday's semi-final win over St Mirren, again displayed his freakish pressing abilities for the opening goal.
The Japan international pounced on Keelan Adams' heavy touch on the halfway line before catching goalkeeper Nicky Hogarth off his line with a clever first-time finish.
Tierney then stretched their advantage to two on the stroke of half-time as he thumped a sixth goal of the season in off the crossbar to complete a swift Celtic counter-attack.
O'Neill's men controlled much of the second period and Yang had a third goal ruled out for offside before Falkirk got themselves back in it with 20 minutes to go.
Substitute Kyrell Wilson took Leon McCann's cross-field pass on the chest before unleashing an unstoppable half-volley to find the top corner from an acute angle.
Wilson continued to look a threat as Falkirk went in search of an equaliser, but all hope of a precious point was extinguished with seven minutes remaining when Maeda popped up with his second of the afternoon.
Last season's 'Player of the Year' looked like his old self and got on the end of Sebastian Tounekti's cutback to roll in his third goal in two matches - after going his previous 17 without scoring.
Perhaps hitting form at the right time? O'Neill will hope so.
Four games to go, one point between the top three, for now…