Overwhelming Celtic, with caretaker manager Martin O’Neill returning to the club for the second time, defeated Dundee United 4-0 at Celtic Park to move into second place in the Scottish Premiership.
Celtic are back to their best after losing 3-1 at home to arch-rivals Rangers on Sunday. This defeat cost Wilfried Nancy his job. Two goals from Yang Hyun-joong and Arne Engels in just five minutes put the hosts in the lead at half-time.
Substitute Benjamin Nygren scored his 11th goal of the season and Daizen Maeda scored in the second period to equal Celtic’s biggest two wins of the league season so far, both secured under O’Neill.
The result moved Celtic into second place on goal difference over Rangers, and although O’Neill said it would be a “difficult task” to retain the title this season, the champions sit just three points behind leaders Heart of Midlothian ahead of Sunday’s trip to Dundee.
How Celtic got back to winning ways under O’Neill
No one in the stadium would have been surprised to see O’Neill reinstate Celtic’s long-standing 4-3-3 formation and the team picked up where they left off under the Irishman, as if waking up from a nightmare and starting life as usual.
Center back Liam Scales has returned to the consistent form he displayed under the Frenchman before moving in and out of the back three.
Yang Hyun-joong celebrates with Callum McGregor after giving Celtic the lead against Dundee United
Callum McGregor once again directed play, with Celtic wide players Yan and Sebastian Tunekuti given attacking license after being given the wing-back role by the former Columbus Crew head coach.
Celtic had 78% possession and had 22 shots on goal, while United conceded just three. During Nancy’s tenure, opponents averaged 12 shots, but United had 17 themselves in their 2-1 win over the Hoops at Tannadice less than four weeks ago.
Celtic pressed United from the start, with Kieran Tierney helping to create a series of chances in the first half.
The left-back’s shot was deflected wide, Jan and Scales threatened with headers, and Maeda hit a low cross onto the bar, but the pressure paid off in the 27th minute.
Daenen Maeda scores Celtic’s fourth goal against Dundee United
With Celtic in the ascendancy, Scales found himself in possession of the ball on the edge of the box and fed a pass to Yan, who scored from 20 yards.
Maeda immediately missed a volley kick, but Engels scored his first goal from Tierney’s pass.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing in the first half for Celtic. Mexican right-back Julian Araujo, making his first start after receiving a yellow card for a dangerous challenge on Will Ferry, was still reeling when he took the free-kick.
Arne Engels passes the ball under pressure from Panucci Camara
United had chances, but Dario Namo seemed unsure whether to head or volley home Craig Sibbald’s deep cross, but he was unable to do either, with Owen Stourton narrowly missing twice.
The striker was initially denied the ball by Auston Trusty before being thwarted by a goal-saving block from Scales, before curling his shot wide from just 18 yards after Celtic’s central defense retreated.
Toti Chukwani sent off in Champions League match against Celtic
United brought on winger Amal Fatah at half-time, replacing midfielder Pan Kamara, but Celtic were even more dominant in the second half.
Reo Hatate and Maeda missed opportunities, but in the 63rd minute Nygren hit a high shot into the net from six yards.
Six minutes later, Maeda finished with ease after Tunekti’s shot was saved.
What the managers said…
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill told Sky Sports:
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill says his team is ready for title contention after returning with an emphatic win over Dundee United
“It was fun and I thought we played really, really well, but the important thing for us was actually winning the game.
“And the first goal is still important. We were knocking on the door for a while and it looked as if the game was going to disappear from under you, but overall it was great.
“The players put in a great performance. It took us 32 passes to score the first goal in the build-up and it was fantastic. I was probably as impatient as the crowd at the time because sometimes you think we might be able to make a move.”
“But we were great and patience really became a virtue in the end. A great goal from Jan, who is in great form at the moment. The whole team was great but he scored and the first goal is really important.”
“It gives us all a boost. Our performance, the goals we scored during the game and the well-deserved result. Wednesday night is a big, big game for us. It’s another big, big test. But we’ll prepare for it, let the players have fun tomorrow and try to be back to work on Monday.”
Arne Engels celebrates by doubling Celtic’s lead against Dundee United
“We have to do it, we really have to do it (for a title fight). Sometimes you read too much into things that don’t really exist, but ultimately we have to prepare for it. They’re defending the title they won last year and they’re in a dogfight. It’s going to continue from here until the end of the season.”
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin:
“It’s always difficult when you come to Celtic at the best of times, but going into the game we knew we were going to get a little extra point with the change in management.
“I felt it would energize the Celtic players as well and I think you could feel it in the atmosphere in the stadium before the game.
“Celtic went back to playing a system and formation that suited the players and that the players were definitely familiar with. We had to try to adapt to that.”
“At the end of the day, we don’t defend well enough in the box. From our point of view, the goals are really poor.”
Regarding the booking of Araujo, the Irishman said: “For me it was a dangerous tackle in a way.
“He looked like he lost control a little bit and he certainly caught Will Ferry a little bit high on the ankle and Will seemed to be feeling the effects of that after the game.
“VAR didn’t seem to spend too much time looking into it.”
