Rodgers’ side looked to be returning to the league’s summit after a devastating opening period in which Cameron Carter-Vickers, Adam Idah, Matt O’Riley, Daizen Maeda, Greg Taylor and Callum McGregor all netted.
Celtic eased off somewhat after the break, but 18-year-old substitute Daniel Kelly scored his first senior goal to add further gloss to the scoreline before Michael Mellon scored a late consolation for the visitors after they had Finlay Robertson sent off.
Celtic were on course to reclaim top spot when Kilmarnock led Rangers at the interval, but the Ibrox side fought back to win 2-1 at Rugby Park, keeping Rodgers’ side two points adrift in second, while Dundee remain sixth.
“Nights like that take me back to when I was first here – the performance, the intensity and everyone enjoying it,” Rodgers said. “We’re here to win, but Celtic is about playing football that gets the supporters excited.”
Celtic’s first-half display against Motherwell on Sunday was well below the levels Rodgers would expect, but they raced out of the blocks here in devastating fashion.
Carter-Vickers has been a big miss through injury at times this season, and made his mark on his return to the side, climbing highest to head home O’Riley’s free-kick and open the floodgates.
Idah glanced Alistair Johnston’s cross past goalkeeper Trevor Carson to double the lead and O’Riley was then afforded acres of space to cushion a header into the bottom corner and make it three.
Maeda got in on the action, bending a delightful left-footed shot into the far corner after cutting inside as Dundee capitulated at the back.
Things went from bad to worse for the visitors when Taylor ghosted into the box to make it five, and when Curtis Main had a goal ruled out by VAR for offside, you thought it could not get much worse for Dundee.
It did though, as McGregor stroked home a left-footed shot to make it six before the break – the biggest half-time lead in the Scottish top flight for at least 20 years.
The huge lead allowed Rodgers to makes multiple changes, and there was a memorable moment for one of those replacements as teenager Kelly curled a first-time effort into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Player of the match – Yang Hyun-Jun (Celtic)
