IF only there were more like Dundee United, a team that now seem to come with a title-race altering guarantee. By hauling themselves back from 2-0 down in magnificent fashion at Celtic Park yesterday, Craig Levein's side breathed new life into the c
hampionship tussle and a whole lot more.
In denying Celtic the victory they seemed certain to bag following a Georgios Samaras double inside 58 minutes, their enterprise, resilience and huge reservoirs of belief proved a testament to the remarkable team-building abilities of Levein. These attributes left Gordon Strachan's side relieved to hear the final whistle at the end of an engrossing, flip-flopping affair, and place the Tannadice men head and shoulders above the nine sides that sit under them.
United's efforts will see Rangers reduce the deficit to five points if they win at Inverness today. Beyond that, they mean the Tayside club are unbeaten in four games against the Old Firm, claiming draws conceding the first goal on each occasion. Yesterday's 2-2 scoreline would have made for the most satisfying point they have earned in this stretch. After being dominated for the first period, they committed forward players in switching from a 4-1-4-1 and proceeded to give the home side the complete runaround. The first point dropped by Celtic since Aiden McGeady's insubordination brought the winger a two-week suspension, inevitably the decision not to reinstate Celtic's best player to the squad for United's visit will now be questioned. Although it seemed stubborn, it was central defence that cost Celtic the win, not wing play.
Just as the visitors were initially punished for two weak moments by captain Lee Wilkie, so Celtic were made to pay for the shortcomings of his home counterpart Stephen McManus. The defender needlessly lunged at Morgaro Gomis in the 61st minute to bring about the free-kick that was gloriously curled into the top right hand corner of Artur Boruc's net by Paul Dixon. To compounded that injudicious intervention, 13 minutes from time McManus was outjumped by John Daly as they challenged for a punt through the middle, the striker's flick-on allowing Warren Feeney to make perfect contact and stab a volley into the net. From that point, United were the only side that seemed capable of fashioning a winner and, as Lee Naylor's confidence crumbled, they almost did so.
In light of the previous week's Old Firm win, the first-footing nature of the encounter and a sell-out league crowd for the only time this season outside of the Glasgow derby, Celtic Park was far from the buoyant and bustling bowl of an arena that might have been expected. Yet, aside from hosting the Ibrox men, an eagerly anticipated meeting with a United side who arrived boasting an Old Firm-like recent record was as close to a major occasion as the stadium will witness in the second half of the campaign.
Levein's side had lost only once in their previous 17 SPL games to make third place their own, but Celtic's dig, drive and daintiness – all exemplified in a wonderful, whirling dervish first half performance with poise from Scott Brown – left them looking third rate for the opening period. Only for them to then show the sort of determination that illustrated precisely why they have proved a mighty tough nut to crack.
It took only 13 minutes for Celtic to capitalise on early domination and nifty, opposition-stretching movement. But, even by then, the incisive nature of their raids deep into United territory made the goal feel like a long time in coming. It might have arrived as early as the eighth minute following clever interplay between Brown and Scott McDonald that set up the former for a shooting chance. It was one he squandered horribly by sending a convictionless effort dribbling towards Celtic pre-contract signing Lukasz Zaluska in the visitors' goal. A minute later and an exquisite through pass from Shunsuke Nakamura was matched by a delightful chip from Georgios Samaras that drifted just over the bar.
When United were eventually undone, it was no surprise Brown was at the heart of it. Just the manner of it proved unexpected. Levein was probably guilty of applying the anti-Midas touch to his captain Lee Wilkie with his pre-match comments that the centre-back, already linked with Rangers, would be the next of his players deserving of a big move. If that doesn't happen, it will be because of a now-and-again capacity of the kind of lackadaisical moment that was ruthlessly exploited by Brown.
Chasing a Barry Robson ball down the right channel, the midfielder's lung-bursting efforts seemed in vain when Wilkie stepped across to the ball. But the hulking defender then inexplicably allowed Brown to shoulder him out of possession as if he were an eight-stone weakling, before Samaras applied a pinpoint low finish from the resultant cut-back to the edge of the area.
Shortly afterwards, Scott Robertson screwed a low drive wide of the post after Celtic had been opened up by some short passing. That was the last United were seen in an attacking sense until the second period. There followed an outswinging free-kick from Nakamura which allowed Samaras, from four yards out and only by pushing in front of Wilkie, to head in without hoisting himself off the ground.
That looked to be that. That Celtic could not see the win through, in a frenzied last hour during which Dixon and McManus made goal-line clearances, will give hope to their chasing rivals. It will also give great encouragement to United, who will meet Celtic in a Co-operative Insurance semi-final on January 28. There is no reason they should simply be content to be a good third in Scottish set-up in which they have never been second best to the two clubs all others are supposed to treat with deference.
MAN OF THE MATCHScott Brown may have faded badly in the second half but the sheer dynamism of the midfielder in the first period was so captivating it remained in the mind even during United's comeback.
QUICK FACTUnited came as close to winning at Celtic Park as they have since last registering a victory at the ground 16 years ago when a Duncan Ferguson goal won the game.
TALKING POINTNow that Gordon Strachan has made his point and won the argument he should surely look to reintroduce Aiden McGeady at the earliest opportunity. It is anything but pragmatic or sensible to ostracise your most creative performer.
