Celtic dropped Premiership points for only the second time this season in a goalless draw against a diligent Dundee United. In his first match at Tannadice as Celtic’s manager, Brendan Rodgers watched his much-changed side dominate possession for the vast majority of the game but fail to find a way past a resolute defence.
It was the first points dropped since a 2-2 draw against Aberdeen in October and means Celtic finished the day nine points ahead of Rangers at the top. Celtic remain unbeaten domestically as they prepare for home games against Motherwell and St Johnstone before the Old Firm clash at Rangers on 2 January.
Rodgers rang the changes after the exhausting Premier Sports Cup final win over Rangers last weekend and in came Anthony Ralston, Stephen Welsh, Liam Scales, Luke McCowan and Yang Hyun-jun. Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty were declared ill by Rodgers before the game.
In the 10th minute Celtic’s Daizen Maeda set up the midfielder Reo Hatate with a clever flick, but Hatate’s low drive from 16 yards beat the far post. After McCowan’s 25-yard drive whistled past a post, efforts from Kyogo Furuhashi, McCowan and Hatate followed before the break, with United showing little threat as they concentrated on keeping out the visitors.
United had a good opportunity early in the second half when Miller Thomson broke down the left, supported by Sam Dalby, but his weak shot was gathered by Celtic’s under-employed goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel.
Rodgers acted on the hour, Adam Idah and Luis Palma replacing Yang and McCowan, and moments later Idah came close with a low drive.
On a rare United attack, the back-tracking Furuhashi was caught on the ball by Glenn Middleton inside the box, but the United player’s shot on the stretch was easily saved.
Celtic went back on the attack and Jack Walton tipped over a header from Maeda in the 78th minute before thwarting Furuhashi moments later after a great touch by Idah.
The visitors piled on the pressure and Walton blocked a close-range drive from another substitute, Arne Engels, before tCeltic survived a goalmouth scramble as United went for a late winner.
