Celtic 3
Dundee Utd 0
League (Premiership)

Match Report

This was the fourth consecutive match between Dundee United and Celtic, with the Glasgow side having had the upper hand in two of the three previous games. United made three changes in an attempt to freshen up the side with Souttar, Dixon and Telfer coming into the side. Celtic made one more change with their entire front four being replaced from Wednesday’s game. Ex-United duo Mackay-Steven and Armstrong came in along with Johansen and Guidetti.

It was United’s former hero, Gary Mackay-Steven who popped up to punish his former employees early in the game. The winger found space on the right and he moved infield he picked up the ball and fired a curling effort away from the diving Radoslaw Cierzniak and into the corner of the net. His muted celebration was a small crumb of comfort for the travelling fans. Mackay-Steven was pivotal to the performance of his new employers in the first half and he went on to set up John Guidetti who fired in an effort from outside the area and it took a deflection past the goalkeeper. Then with United team desperate to get down the tunnel at half time, Mackay-Steven made another significant contribution. He was fouled by Paul Paton and the resultant free kick by Stefan Johansen was met by Virgil van Dijk and though his shot was blocked, Jason Denayer back-heeled past Cierzniak.

United were marginally better in the second half and actually threatened on a couple of occasions. Craig Gordon had to touch a shot over from Ryan Dow and then soon after get down to clutch a long-range drive from Paul Dixon. United’s best chance came when Nadir Ciftci engineered his way through the Celtic defence and as he raced in on goal, Virgil van Dijk also had to show his defensive skills to make a goal saving intervention. One plus from this game was that there were no red cards shown and United managed to survive the second half without conceding a goal. However, the game was over at half time and it is hard to tell if United improved or Celtic took their feet off the gas.

Manager's Comment:
“I thought we lacked a bit of belief in the first half, but in the second half I was happy with the response. I was pleased with certain things in the second half; we didn't fold, we stuck to it, and had one or two opportunities we didn't take. The players need a break, it's been a tough period for us. The four games against Celtic, three in six days, physically and mentally one or two boys are walking wounded, a few missing as well with injuries. So it gives us a chance to re-group and make sure we come back. We've got a lot of important games to make sure we catch Inverness above us.”

Fan's Comment:
“Finally it is over. It has been like some sort of two-week torture that United fans have been made to endure. You couldn’t write such an incredibly cruel script. Going into this Celtic epic we were fighting in all competitions. However, we have come out the other side having lost a cup final, having been dumped out the Scottish cup, now bereft of any confidence, had one of our ex-players score against us and we are looking like we will do well just to stay in the top six in the league. It is going to be tough for the club (players, management and supporters) to pick themselves up and kick on in the final months of the season. We will watch with interest.”