Dane Murray has turned his Celtic career around, his full stats vs Hearts are seriously impressive

Dane Murray enjoyed a staggeringly good display as Celtic destroyed Hearts 7-1 at Parkhead on Sunday.

Kieran Tierney, Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand and Camilo Duran got the goals for the champions, with Jamie McCart also scoring an own-goal.

The clash was a repeat of May's Scottish Premiership decider, with Martin O'Neill's side reasserting their dominance and returning to the top of the league after Rangers drew with Dundee FC.

Murray has been with Celtic throughout his career but has been forced to bide his time for opportunities, making just 16 appearances across all competitions last season.

The 23-year-old was finally handed a chance following Cameron Carter-Vickers' injury and now appears to have jumped ahead of Auston Trusty in the pecking order.

The defender gave away a penalty on Thursday as Celtic were beaten by Benfica in the Europa League, but he responded strongly on Sunday.

Dane Murray makes his case

Murray's first ever senior assist for Celtic came in Sunday's game, and in extraordinary circumstances.

The defender took advantage of a scramble in the box following a corner, acrobatically flicking the ball back into the path of Nygren for Celtic's second goal.

That was not the only chance he created, in what was a fantastic passing performance from the 23-year-old.

Murray completed 93 per cent of his attempted passes and found the mark with his only attempted long ball.

Yet it was his defensive performance that caught the eye. The Scotland youth international made three tackles, seven clearances, a recovery and two blocks - the joint-most of anybody on the pitch.

Murray also won 10 duels and seven in the air, more than anybody else.

Contract decision coming up for Murray

With Murray's contract set to expire in 2028, Celtic find themselves needing to make a decision imminently.

Just a few weeks ago, it looked certain that the Hoops would allow the 23-year-old to enter the final year of his deal next summer, lining up an exit.

Yet recent performances have undoubtedly changed the situation, with the defender emerging as a key option with plenty of room to improve.

Celtic's decision remains to be seen, but Murray is proving himself to be a more than capable option.