Venue: Tannadice Park Date: 22/12/24 Time: 12:00
Celtic dropped points in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since October as they were held to a draw by a dogged Dundee United.
Daizen Maeda came close to breaking the deadlock in the first half but could not connect with Callum McGregor’s searching pass into the box as Jack Walton received the ball comfortably.
The keeper was kept on his toes as Reo Hatate raced into the box but fired a low effort just wide before Luke McGowan’s attempt could get no closer to the target.
Dundee United took until the second half to test Kasper Schmeichel although Miller Thomson should have done better with his tame shot in a rare opportunity for the home side and the same could be said for Glenn Middleton’s shot within range.
Substitute Adam Idah saw his effort deflected wide as Celtic struggled to find an opener.
Walton was properly tested for the first time towards the end of the game, doing well to tip Maeda’s dipping header over the bar.
Rodgers watched in frustration as Kyogo Furuhashi could not set his feet to fire, fluffing his line to allow United to clear.
Walton denied Arne Engels at the death, using his legs to earn Jim Goodwin’s side an impressive point an stretch their lead over seventh place Dundee to six points.
Attendance: 13, 662
Line-ups:
Dundee United: J. Walton, W. Ferry, K. Holt, D. Gallagher (c), R. Strain, G. Middleton (K. Trapanovski 80’), V. Sevelj, L. Stephenson (R. Docherty 80’), K. Fotheringham, M. Thomson (J. van der Sande 74’), S. Dalby (R. Odada 90’)
Substitutes: E. Adegboyega, D. Babunski, R. Docherty, R. Graham, R. Odada, D. Richards, K. Trapanovski, M. Ubochioma, J. van der Sande
Celtic: K. Schmeichel, G. Taylor, L. Scales, S. Welsh, A. Ralston, L. McCowan (A. Idah 62’), C. McGregor (c), R. Hatate (Paulo Bernardo 77’), D. Maeda (A. Engels 86’), K. Furuhashi, Yang Hyun-Jun (L. Palma 61’)
Substitutes: J. Bonnar, C. Donovan, A. Engels, Paulo Bernardo, A. Idah, M. Nawrocki, L. Palma, V. Sinisalo, Alex Valle
Referee: David Dickinson