3 years ago
41
ARTICLE AD BOX
Jota headed in Aaron Mooy's deep cross to open the scoringCeltic restored their nine-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership as they ground down Dundee United's stubborn resistance after the break.
The Glasgow side recorded their biggest-ever away league win with a 9-0 thumping of United on their last visit to Tannadice in August.
A more resilient United held out until Jota headed home an Aaron Mooy cross.
Five minutes later, Mooy slotted home a spot kick after Jota's flick struck Kieran Freeman's hand.
Celtic's fifth game in a row without conceding means they have scored 18 times and lost just one goal in their latest five visits to Tannadice.
It leaves United in third bottom place on goal difference, tied on points with Motherwell, Ross County and Kilmarnock, and without a win against Celtic in 19 games since a 2-1 win at Tannadice in December 2014.
- Keep up to date with Celtic news on BBC
- Sign up for the latest Dundee United updates
- Reaction & as it happened
Both managers agreed pre-match that United are a different beast since that August humiliation.
Not surprisingly, though, Mark Birighitti was the busier goalkeeper, the Australian being fortunate not see a clearance charged down by Kyogo Furuhashi nestling behind him before blocking at the Japanese striker's feet after also saving low from a Jota drive.
Craig Sibbald blocked from midfield counterpart Mooy in front of the United goal before Birighitti bravely punched clear off the head of Kyogo only to see referee Don Robertson point to the penalty spot after the striker was caught by the goalkeeper's follow through.
Whether VAR decided there was no foul, or a Celtic player had been offside, Robertson was instructed to have a check on the screen and reversed his decision.
However, there was no reprieve shortly after half time when Birighitti appeared to lose his bearings as Mooy launched a deep cross and Jota headed in precisely from a difficult angle.
Celtic ensured the victory soon after as Freeman stuck out a hand and Mooy was given the opportunity from the penalty spot to slot his third goal in two games as the visitors could comfortably afford a close-range miss from Daizen Maeda in the dying seconds.
More to follow.
What's next?
United visit relegation rivals Kilmarnock as Celtic host in-form Livingston on Wednesay (both 19:45 GMT).
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection
Dundee United
Squad number1Player nameBirighitti
Squad number22Player nameFreeman
Squad number2Player nameSmith
Squad number12Player nameEdwards
Squad number3Player nameMcMann
Squad number16Player nameBehich
Squad number23Player nameHarkes
Squad number14Player nameSibbald
Squad number19Player nameLevitt
Squad number9Player nameFletcher
Squad number15Player nameMiddleton
Squad number8Player namePawlett
Squad number10Player nameDjoum
Squad number18Player nameMcGrath
Squad number44Player nameMacleod
Celtic
Squad number1Player nameHart
Squad number2Player nameJohnston
Squad number20Player nameCarter-Vickers
Squad number4Player nameStarfelt
Squad number3Player nameTaylor
Squad number13Player nameMooy
Squad number42Player nameMcGregor
Squad number41Player nameHatate
Squad number11Player nameAbada
Squad number8Player nameFuruhashi
Squad number17Player nameJota
Squad number9Player nameHaksabanovic
Squad number14Player nameTurnbull
Squad number19Player nameOh
Squad number33Player nameO'Riley
Squad number38Player nameMaeda
Line-ups
Dundee Utd
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Birighitti
- 22FreemanBooked at 51mins
- 2Smith
- 12Edwards
- 3McMann
- 16Behich
- 23HarkesSubstituted forMcGrathat 60'minutesBooked at 84mins
- 14Sibbald
- 19LevittSubstituted forDjoumat 74'minutes
- 9FletcherSubstituted forMacleodat 74'minutes
- 15MiddletonSubstituted forPawlettat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Mulgrew
- 6Graham
- 7Niskanen
- 8Pawlett
- 10Djoum
- 18McGrath
- 28Anim Cudjoe
- 31Newman
- 44Macleod
Celtic
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Hart
- 2Johnston
- 20Carter-Vickers
- 4Starfelt
- 3Taylor
- 13MooySubstituted forTurnbullat 67'minutes
- 42McGregor
- 41HatateSubstituted forO'Rileyat 67'minutes
- 11AbadaSubstituted forHaksabanovicat 82'minutes
- 8FuruhashiSubstituted forOhat 82'minutes
- 17Neves FilipeSubstituted forMaedaat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Haksabanovic
- 14Turnbull
- 18Kobayashi
- 19Oh
- 24Iwata
- 29Bain
- 33O'Riley
- 38Maeda
- 49Forrest
Referee:Don Robertson
Attendance:12,448
Live Text
Match ends, Dundee United 0, Celtic 2.
Second Half ends, Dundee United 0, Celtic 2.
Attempt missed. Daizen Maeda (Celtic) header from very close range is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Hyeon-Gyu Oh with a cross.
Offside, Dundee United. Scott McMann tries a through ball, but Craig Sibbald is caught offside.
Alistair Johnston (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jamie McGrath (Dundee United).
Attempt missed. Kieran Freeman (Dundee United) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
Foul by Hyeon-Gyu Oh (Celtic).
Scott McMann (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Sead Haksabanovic (Celtic).
Scott McMann (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Jamie McGrath (Dundee United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Hyeon-Gyu Oh (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jamie McGrath (Dundee United).
Foul by David Turnbull (Celtic).
Craig Sibbald (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Celtic. Hyeon-Gyu Oh replaces Kyogo Furuhashi.
Substitution, Celtic. Sead Haksabanovic replaces Liel Abada.
Foul by Matt O'Riley (Celtic).
Aziz Behich (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
English (US) ·