Match Pictures | Matches: 2024 – 2025
Trivia
- KO: 12:00; Sunday; Sky Sports TV, League Match 16. Last match before Xmas.
- Celtic won the league cup a week earlier. So currently holding all three domestic titles.
- Celtic 9pts ahead at top of the table with +40GD. Aberdeen slump 3-1 v Hibs! Sevco won 1-0, so Sevco go second in the league.
- Celtic failed to score for the first time domestically this season.
- Major squad rotation today. Johnston, Forrest, Kuhn, CCV & Trusty out injured/bug going around. Yang, Ralston and Welsh get rare starts. The regular players had been looking fatigued of late.
- Celtic’s first match v Dundee Utd this campaign, and incredibly Brendan Rodgers had never faced Dundee United before this match across his two spells as Celtic manager.
- James Forrest out for ~six weeks due to a knock he picked up in League Cup final victory.
- Reports: Rodgers linked with vacant job at Southampton. Celtic set to recall Dane Murray early from loan at Queen’s Park amid interet from SP and English Leagues 1&2; impressed first half of season and may now make step up. Loan proposal from KV Mechelen for Welsh. Jota reportedly wants to leave Rennes (return to Celtic possible?). Maik Nawrocki and Luis Palma linked with moves away, Palma was wanted by two US MLS clubs: Atlanta United and Orlando.
- Reports: Ex-Celt Kieran Tierney to leave Arsenal after they decided against using option to extend his contract, Celtic linked with him.
- Despite rumours that on-loan Alex Valle could be recalled by Barcelona in Jan, he won’t leave early but he’s hoping to remain with Barca (Spanish media).
- Atlanta United announced ex Celtic manager Ronny Deila as the club’s head coach.
- Celtic Womens Team win 5-0 v Sparta to wrap up the calendar year.
Summary
‘Celtic can afford off day’
Ex-Celt Pat Bonner
Brendan Rodgers: “We arrived into all the areas that we wanted to, and we were in there often enough.
“But my feeling in the game, we didn’t work at the keeper enough. We had so many opportunities in there and we never had the target.
“We passed it well through and connected the game and the ‘keeper made a really good save at the end when Arne popped up to poke it through the legs, and he had to react quickly.
“We had a great chance with Kyogo as well and we’re in the areas we want to be but we just, especially in the first half, I didn’t think we worked the keeper enough.
“But guys like Stephen [Welsh] coming in today, I thought he was excellent. He and Scales were very good in difficult conditions, with the wind and everything. But it just looked like we couldn’t score.
Joebloggscity of TheCelticWiki:
Return to the league matches but with Celtic now the League Cup title holders after defeating Sevco last weekend and clear league leaders, some room for respite for the players with the key game v YB of Berne in January in the Champions League being the next big target (even more so than the Ne’er Day Derby). Three games left this year with nine to play in January!
This past week has been dominated by Sevco’s fans and their shill media banging on about the penalty they should have been awarded in the league cup final! (pot kettle black)
Anyhow, Celtic dropped points today in a poor away draw. Not much positive to report on here with a very weakened first team due to injuries and a bug going around. The reserve players didn’t prove themselves today but same can be said for some of the regular players too.
Enough possession and chances but not a convincing performance, the stats illustrate this. Celtic failed to score for the first time in the league this season even though at one point the manager desperately played both strikers at same time. No Kuhn was a major negative today. McCowan impressed and Rodgers spoke highly of Welsh but still no victory. Some major frustration with Palma (again) but partly that’s as most have already made their minds up about him whilst the reports of a January exit are taken as done.
Congrats to Dundee Utd they ground out a deserved point, they’ve actually had a strong record of late (just one loss in last seven).
Celtic remain comfortably in the lead in the table and really these odd matches with dropped points are inevitable during the season. These results must be taken on the chin when they happen, and Celtic now have begun a tough period for the squad to weather.
asgardtreasures of KDS: We’ve been below par for a good while now but today there were several first team players missing and the windy conditions didn’t help. Still, Kyogo should have buried that chance, it was a very bad miss by his standards, by any standards.
We found it hard going to break through DU. Three shots on target testifies to that.
I think BR took a chance today by making so many changes I think he will have to be more cautious about that going forward. Yang, McCowan, Ralston, Welsh and Scales was just too much imo. I think two mabey three changes is ok but not half the team when we are away from home in rough weather.
jbj712 of KDS: Half the team missing, playing in gale force winds against a team with no ambition beyond getting pumped and some miserable gits are complaining.
Yes we weren’t great but that’s another game that we probably lose this time last year.
The likes of Yang and Palma will get a lot of abuse because they weren’t very good but then again most of the front six were poor to average.
Rodgers doesn’t trust Yang as the game plan was obviously to attack almost entirely down the left perhaps because that side wasn’t as disrupted as the right hand side but even allowing for that he was poor. The guy either should be sold or put out on loan because he needs to play games to try and find some form.
McCowan had a bright start but faded along with the rest. The two CBs did well and we made very few mistakes on a difficult day weather wise.
So far this calendar year we have only lost two games so yes there are things we need to work on but get a grip and see the bigger picture.
Remember as the old song goes “Merry Christmas F-ck the Huns!”
@bobbyperu: Poor game. Never looked like conceding but was all a bit rushed in attack too.At this stage Yang and Palma are only standing in the way of youth players. They offer nothing.
Twitter:
Misc: Slow build up. No threat on flanks. Final ball dreadful. 2 shots on target.
Teams
Celtic:
Manager: Brendan Rodgers
01 K. Schmeichel
03 G. Taylor
05 L. Scales
57 S. Welsh
56 A. Ralston
14 L. McCowan, subbed for A. Idah at 62mins
42 C. McGregor (c), Captain
41 R. Hatate 59′, Yellow Card at 59mins, subbed for Paulo Bernardo at 77mins
38 D. Maeda, subbed for A. Engels at 86mins
08 K. Furuhashi
13 Yang Hyun-Jun, subbed for L. Palma at 61mins
Subs:
59 J. Bonnar
63 C. Donovan
27 A. Engels
28 Paulo Bernardo
09 A. Idah
17 M. Nawrocki
07 L. Palma
12 V. Sinisalo
11 Álex Valle
Goals:
Assists:
Dundee Utd
Manager: Jim Goodwin
Formation: 4 – 4 – 1 – 1
01 J. Walton
11 W. Ferry
04 K. Holt
31 D. Gallagher (c), Captain
02 R. Strain 26′, Yellow Card at 26mins
15 G. Middleton, subbed for K. Trapanovski at 80mins
05 V. Ševelj
17 L. Stephenson, subbed for R. Docherty at 80mins
18 K. Fotheringham
29 M. Thomson, subbed for J. van der Sande at 74mins
19 S. Dalby, subbed for R. Odada at 90mins
Subs:
16 E. Adegboyega
10 D. Babunski
23 R. Docherty
06 R. Graham
12 R. Odada
25 D. Richards
07 K. Trapanovski 89′, Yellow Card at 89mins
70 M. Ubochioma
20 J. van der Sande
Goals:
Assists:
Referee David Dickinson
Video Assistant Referee Gavin Duncan
Assistant Referee 1 Calum Spence
Assistant Referee 2 Craig Ferguson
Fourth Official Colin Steven
Assistant VAR Official Andrew McWilliam
Venue:CalForth Construction Arena at Tannadice Park
Att:13,662
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Match Links
Stats
Overall possession
22.4%
77.6%
Dundee United 22.4% Celtic 77.6%
Shots
Dundee United 2 Celtic 17
Shots on target
Dundee United 2 Celtic 3
Total touches inside the box
Dundee United 7 Celtic 24
Goalkeeper saves
Dundee United 3 Celtic 2
Fouls
Dundee United 11 Celtic 8
Corners
Dundee United 3 Celtic 9
Advanced match stats
Shots
Dundee United 2 Celtic 17
Shots on target
Dundee United 2 Celtic 3
Shots off target
Dundee United 0 Celtic 9
Blocked shots
Dundee United 0 Celtic 5
Attempts out of box
Dundee United 1 Celtic 8
Total offside
Dundee United 1 Celtic 2
Total tackles
Dundee United 16 Celtic 8
Won tackles
Dundee United 8 Celtic 4
Fouls
Dundee United 11 Celtic 8
Total yellow cards
Dundee United 2 Celtic 1
Total clearances
Dundee United 34 Celtic 13
Headed clearances
Dundee United 18 Celtic 6
Duels won
Dundee United 38 Celtic 34
Total passes
Dundee United 229 Celtic 814
Accurate passes
Dundee United 143 Celtic 739
Backward passes
Dundee United 30 Celtic 109
Forward passes
Dundee United 120 Celtic 218
Total long balls
Dundee United 72 Celtic 29
Successful final third passes
Dundee United 29 Celtic 219
Total crosses
Dundee United 14 Celtic 26
Touches
Dundee United 391 Celtic 1002
Touches in the box
Dundee United 7 Celtic 24
Dispossessed
Dundee United 3 Celtic 7
Goalkeeper saves
Dundee United 3 Celtic 2
Diving saves
Dundee United 1 Celtic 1
Saved shots from inside the box
Dundee United 3 Celtic 1
Saved shots from outside the box
Dundee United 0 Celtic 1
Keeper throws
Dundee United 1 Celtic 5
Goal kicks
Dundee United 18 Celtic 3
Articles
Celtic fail to break down stubborn Dundee United
Updated / Sunday, 22 Dec 2024 15:29https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2024/1222/1487822-celtic-fail-to-break-down-stubborn-dundee-united/
Celtic dropped William Hill Premiership points for only the second time this season in a goalless draw against diligent Dundee United.
In his first match at Tannadice as Hoops boss, 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 home 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 of the table.
United boss Jim Goodwin will be delighted with his side’s fortitude in fighting for a point.
Celtic remain unbeaten domestically this season and still hold a healthy advantage at the top as they prepare for home games against Motherwell and St Johnstone before the Old Firm clash against Rangers at Ibrox on January 2.
Rodgers rang the changes following the exhausting Premier Sports Cup final win over the Light Blues last weekend and in came Anthony Ralston, Stephen Welsh, Liam Scales, Luke McCowan and Yang Hyun-jun.
Paulo Bernardo was among the substitute, but there was no sign of Nicolas Kuhn, injured Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers or Auston Trusty, the latter two declared ill by Rodgers before the game.
United showed three changes, with Will Ferry, Kai Fotheringham and Miller Thomson reinstated, while the league’s top-scorer Sam Dalby, with eight goals in nine games, led the line.
The Wrexham loanee and his team-mates had to do the chasing as Celtic inevitably took control of the ball.
In the 10th minute Parkhead attacker Daizen Maeda set up midfielder Reo Hatate with a clever flick, but his low drive from 16 yards beat the far post.
Former Dundee star McCowan was next to try his luck with a 25-yard drive which whistled past United goalkeeper Jack Walton’s left-hand post.
Further efforts from Hoops striker Kyogo Furuhashi, McCowan and Hatate followed before the break, with the Terrors showing little threat as they concentrated diligently on keeping out the visitors.
Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel gathers a cross under pressure at Tannadice Park
United had a good opportunity early in the second half when Thomson broke down the left, supported by Dalby, but his weak shot was gathered by Celtic’s under-employed keeper Kasper Schmeichel.
The Parkhead side remained dominant but were finding it difficult to get through the packed and well-organised Tangerine defence.
Rodgers acted on the hour mark and Adam Idah and Luis Palma replaced Yang and McCowan and moments later Idah came close with a low drive.
On a rare United attack, back-tracking Kyogo was caught on the ball by Glenn Middleton inside the box, but his shot on the stetch was easily saved by Schmeichel.
Celtic went back on the attack.
Walton tipped a header from Maeda over the bar in the 78th minute, but United, with Jort van der Sande on for Thomson, defended the corner before the United keeper thwarted Kyogo moments later after a great touch by Idah.
The visitors piled on the pressure and Walton blocked a close-range drive from another Celtic substitute Arne Engels before the Hoops survived a goalmouth scramble as United went for a late winner, but neither side could get the breakthrough in six minutes of added time.
Celts held at Tannadice after goalless draw
First Team
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2024/december/22/celts-held-at-tannadice-after-goalless-draw/
By Daylin Docherty
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22 Dec 2024, 2:08 pm
Scottish Premiership
Sunday, December 22 2024
Tannadice Park, Dundee
DUNDEE UTD…0
CELTIC…0
Celtic were held to a goalless draw at Tannadice by a resilient Dundee United side in the final match before Christmas, as the Hoops’ dominant domestic run continued despite dropping points for only the second time this season.
Brendan Rodgers made five changes to the side that triumphed in last weekend’s League Cup final, with illness and injuries sidelining the likes of Alistair Johnston and Nicolas Kuhn.
This gave opportunities to Anthony Ralston and Stephen Welsh to step into the starting XI. Remarkably, this was Brendan Rodgers’ first visit to Tannadice as Celtic manager, a venue steeped in iconic Celtic moments over the years.
The match also marked 10 years since Dundee United last defeated Celtic, a victory that came courtesy of a Stuart Armstrong goal.
Since then, the Hoops have remained unbeaten in 19 encounters with the Tangerines, a record that has been extended further despite a frustrating afternoon for the visitors.
The opening exchanges were subdued as both sides acclimatised to the dry but chilly conditions in Dundee.
Celtic carved out their first chance in the ninth minute, with Callum McGregor picking out Daizen Maeda, but the Japanese forward couldn’t control his run, and the opportunity fizzled out.
Moments later, Reo Hatate had the game’s first major chance, but his low shot dragged wide of the near post.
Luke McCowan, making his return to Tannadice following his summer move from city rivals Dundee, also tested the United defence with a left-footed effort that zipped just wide.
Celtic’s best opportunity of the half came in the 27th minute, with Kyogo’s curling effort narrowly missing the far corner after an incisive pass from McGregor.
Despite Celtic’s increasing dominance, they lacked precision in the final third, and the first half ended goal-less, with neither side registering a shot on target.
22%
Possession
78%
2
Shots
17
2
Shots On Target
3
3
Corners
9
11
Fouls
8
2
0
Cards
1
0
Both teams resumed unchanged after the interval, and Dundee United had the first chance of the second half through Miller Thomson, whose tame effort was easily gathered by Kasper Schmeichel.
Celtic’s substitutions added fresh impetus, with Adam Idah and Luis Palma replacing McCowan and Yang on the hour mark.
And Idah’s introduction nearly paid dividends when his snapshot sailed just wide, momentarily lifting the travelling support.
Anthony Ralston’s pinpoint lofted pass to Daizen Maeda in the 76th minute almost broke the deadlock, but Jack Walton produced a fine save to tip Maeda’s looping header over the bar.
Celtic came close again when Kyogo found himself through on goal, only to see his shot smothered by the advancing Walton.
Late substitute Arne Engels also had a chance to snatch the win, but his toe-poked effort was well-saved by Walton.
Despite late pressure, Celtic couldn’t find the decisive moment, as Kyogo’s final attempt of the game drifted wide in stoppage time.
The draw means Celtic remain unbeaten domestically, extending their run to 32 games since their defeat to Hearts in March.
While the result sees them drop points for only the second time this season, Brendan Rodgers’ side continues to lead the Scottish Premiership table by nine points as they head into the festive period.
Dundee Utd: Walton, Strain, Gallagher, Holt, Ferry, Fotheringham, Stephenson (Docherty 80′), Sevelj, Middleton (Trapanovski 80′), Thomson (van der Sande 74′), Dalby (Odada 90′)
Subs: Graham, Trapanovski, Babunski, Odada, Adegboyega, van der Sande, Docherty, Richards, Ubochioma
Celtic: Schmeichel, Ralston, Welsh, Scales, Taylor, Hatate (Paulo Bernardo 77′), McGregor, McCowan (Idah 62′), Hyunjun Yang (Palma 61′), Kyogo, Maeda (Engels 86′)
Subs: Palma, Idah, Valle, Sinisalo, Nawrocki, Engels, Paulo Bernardo, Bonnar, Donovan
BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cpq9vw3q41rt?page=5#Report
Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter at Tannadice
Celtic dropped Scottish Premiership points for just the second time this season as defensively solid Dundee United earned a creditable draw against the champions in challenging, windy conditions.
The result means Jim Goodwin’s side have lost just one of their past seven league matches, highlighting their impressive return to the top flight.
Despite the stalemate, Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic hold a nine-point lead over Rangers as the campaign approaches the halfway stage over the festive period.
Rodgers was forced to make significant changes to his line-up with Alistair Johnston and Nicolas Kuhn out injured and the centre-half pairing of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty missing through illness.
That meant rare starts for Anthony Ralston, Stephen Welsh and Hyun-jun Yang, with Luke McCowan also in the XI.
The home side looked to rely on defensive solidity, something that deserted them in their previous outing – the 4-3 defeat at Motherwell – but has been a feature this term. They got that as Celtic were frustrated despite having most of the ball.
Celtic manager Rodgers said: “You are always disappointed when you draw a game that you should win.
“We didn’t work the keeper enough but the players gave everything. In these types of games, if you don’t get the early goal it gives the opposition something to hold on to.”
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McCowan, twice, Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi all had chances but mostly from outside the area as the home side stayed compact and emerged when they could.
Miller Thompson had an opportunity on the break but lacked the power to truly test Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who had little to do.
Luis Palma and Adam Idah were thrown on as the visitors chased a goal and the Republic of Ireland striker came close but shot just wide. Interestingly, Kyogo stayed on in a slightly withdrawn role.
Further personnel changes sparked a surge in intensity as the clock ticked on.
Daizen Maeda came close with a looping header after a great run in behind, then Kyogo seemed certain to score after he got in but Jack Walton was equal to it.
In injury time, substitute Arne Engels thought he had won it from a couple of yards, but again Walton responded to divert the ball behind as Celtic left frustrated despite relentlessly surging forward as the game went on.
United dogged and disciplined to earn draw
Jim Goodwin pointed to the need for defensive solidity and his side restricted Celtic throughout. It was fraught at times but all credit to them for seeing it out.
The fact Walton wasn’t directly tested until late on says it all.
United gave up a lot of the ball, perhaps not intentionally, but stayed so well drilled.
Glenn Middleton offered some threat down the left on occasions, but there wasn’t much for Schmeichel to consider over the 90 minutes.
However, the Tannadice side will be delighted with the outcome and the resilience shown. Another excellent result for Goodwin’s men.
Celtic depth tested in challenging conditions
Celtic were missing key men. They have depth in the squad but that left questions that weren’t fully answered although the visitors came close to another victory.
The absence of Johnston and Kuhn in particular down the right resulted in far less threat in that area, with Ralston and Yang simply not offering the same link-up and quality going forward.
A lack of game-time no doubt contributed to that as did the increasingly windy conditions.
But Rodgers does enjoy a squad full of quality and it looked likely to eventually prove decisive. The failure to find a breakthrough was not for a lack of trying.
The result is far from a significant blow given the lead Celtic enjoy at the top, but offers a glimmer of hope to those hoping to mount a challenge.
What they said
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin: “It’s a really well-earned point from our perspective.
“If you’d offered me a clean sheet before kick-off, I’d have snapped your hand off. Defensively, we were excellent. Great discipline and concentration. There was a real resilience and determination from the group.”
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: “We are greedy to win every game but nine points clear, with a trophy in the cabinet, and doing well in the Champions League, it’s been a good period for us.”