Celtic crushed a remarkable Dundee United comeback in a jaw-dropping finale to roar seven points clear at the Scottish Premiership summit.
Dylan Levitt appeared to have rescued a point for the visitors with his 87th-minute strike, but Celtic substitutes Kyogo Furuhashi and Liel Abada struck in stoppage time at a raucous Parkhead.
Sead Haksabanovic netted a first-half brace either side of Steven Fletcher’s spot kick after a VAR intervention.
United now sit bottom of the table.
Celtic’s lead could be narrowed if Rangers overcome St Johnstone in Sunday’s early kick-off.
The hosts flew out the blocks on their return to domestic action. Jota slid an enticing ball across the face of the United goal, with Haksabanovic lurking at the back post for his first Celtic goal.
The home fans would have been hoped with the early lead, Celtic would inflict another trouncing of United, similar to the 9-0 thumping handed out earlier in the campaign. However, quite the opposite followed.
Fletcher’s header undoubtedly struck the arm of leaping left-back Alexandro Bernabei inside the box, although he knew very little about it. After a lengthy VAR check, a spot-kick was awarded by referee David Dickinson with Fletcher stroking the ball down the middle for a controversial equaliser.
Celtic regained the upper hand when Montenegro international Haksabanovic sliced an effort by the fingertips of a helpless Mark Birighitti in the United goal.
After the interval, the hosts peppered the box without crafting a clear-cut opportunity to possess a more comfortable lead prior to a late flurry of gilt-edged chances for United, including Greg Taylor’s goal-line clearance to deny Glenn Middleton and Ryan Edwards striking a post.
Then, bedlam. Levitt caressed a curling ball with just two minutes of normal time left that deceived everyone, including Celtic keeper Joe Hart, to hush Celtic Park.
However, Celtic were not done. Three minutes later, substitute Kyogo skimmed a glancing header to prompt chaos inside a bouncing Celtic Park, before Abada audaciously chipped over Birighitti to squash the juice out of the Tangerines.
Player of the match – Jota
‘Never stop’ attitude displayed again – analysis
Catch your breath if you can. This was a prime example of everything Ange Postecoglou promised when he came to Celtic over a year ago. Goals galore, attacking football and a never-say-die attitude.
In seasons gone by, Celtic would have succumbed to a 2-2 draw, a disappointing drop of points. But despite conceding with just two minutes of regulation time remaining, you’d have been a brave soul if you didn’t fancy Celtic to carve out a winner late on… never mind two.
For United, it’s gut-wrenching. To come so close to grabbing something from Celtic Park, especially following their 9-0 hammering earlier on in the season, is harrowing. Liam Fox can take plenty from his side’s grit and determination, but it’s never nice to be looking all the way up from the pit of the table.
What they said
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou: “It’s not by chance, it’s who we are. It’s a cliché, but I did say from the first day that we would be the team that doesn’t stop and the players have shown that.
“Sometimes it gets overlooked because we will score late goals even though the game is comfortably won, but it’s what I wanted for us as a football club and the players have totally bought into that.
Dundee United boss Liam Fox: “I was really pleased with a lot of aspects of it, but I expect more when we get to 2-2 with a couple of minutes to go. It’s a set-piece we concede from, which is disappointing, but in all honesty, I’m just frustrated for the players.
“There were moments of good stuff. We worked extremely hard and, if we continue to work that way, things will turn. The harder you work, the luckier you are.”
What’s next
Celtic travel to Fir Park on Wednesday evening to take on Motherwell (19:45 GMT), while Dundee United host Kilmarnock at the same time.
Player of the match
AbadaLiel Abada
Celtic
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Squad number11Player nameAbadaAverage rating
7.24
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Squad number8Player nameFuruhashiAverage rating
7.19
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Squad number17Player nameJota
Average rating7.06
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Squad number3Player nameTaylor
Average rating6.90
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Squad number20Player nameCarter-Vickers
Average rating6.84
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Squad number33Player nameO’Riley
Average rating6.81
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Squad number41Player nameHatate
Average rating6.63
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Squad number56Player nameRalston
Average rating6.57
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Squad number49Player nameForrest
Average rating6.49
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Squad number9Player nameHaksabanovic
Average rating6.42
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Squad number14Player nameTurnbull
Average rating6.37
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Squad number6Player nameJenz
Average rating6.32
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Squad number38Player nameMaeda
Average rating6.28
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Squad number7Player nameGiakoumakis
Average rating6.27
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Squad number25Player nameBernabei
Average rating6.22
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Squad number1Player nameHart
Average rating5.98
Dundee United
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Squad number2Player nameSmith
Average rating6.17
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Squad number9Player nameFletcher
Average rating5.92
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Squad number12Player nameEdwards
Average rating5.73
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Squad number19Player nameLevitt
Average rating5.72
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Squad number32Player nameWatt
Average rating5.70
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Squad number15Player nameMiddleton
Average rating5.60
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Squad number22Player nameFreeman
Average rating5.58
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Squad number14Player nameSibbald
Average rating5.55
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Squad number23Player nameHarkes
Average rating5.51
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Squad number16Player nameBehich
Average rating5.50
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Squad number18Player nameMcGrath
Average rating5.46
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Squad number10Player nameDjoum
Average rating5.45
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Squad number3Player nameMcMann
Average rating5.44
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Squad number17Player nameMeekison
Average rating5.30
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Squad number1Player nameBirighitti
Average rating5.05
Line-ups
Celtic
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Hart
- 56Ralston
- 20Carter-Vickers
- 6JenzBooked at 90mins
- 25BernabeiBooked at 11minsSubstituted forTaylorat 45′minutes
- 14TurnbullSubstituted forMaedaat 88′minutes
- 33O’Riley
- 41Hatate
- 9HaksabanovicSubstituted forAbadaat 65′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 7GiakoumakisSubstituted forFuruhashiat 65′minutes
- 17Neves FilipeSubstituted forForrestat 76′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Taylor
- 4Starfelt
- 8Furuhashi
- 11Abada
- 13Mooy
- 28Abildgaard
- 31Siegrist
- 38Maeda
- 49Forrest
Dundee Utd
Formation 3-5-1-1
- 1Birighitti
- 2Smith
- 12Edwards
- 3McMann
- 22FreemanBooked at 88mins
- 23HarkesSubstituted forWattat 76′minutes
- 10DjoumSubstituted forLevittat 64′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 14Sibbald
- 16Behich
- 18McGrathSubstituted forMeekisonat 76′minutes
- 9FletcherSubstituted forMiddletonat 71′minutes
Substitutes
- 6Graham
- 7Niskanen
- 8Pawlett
- 13Eriksson
- 15Middleton
- 17Meekison
- 19Levitt
- 20Anaku
- 32Watt
- Referee:
- David Dickinson
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Celtic 4, Dundee United 2.
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Second Half ends, Celtic 4, Dundee United 2.
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Dylan Levitt (Dundee United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Dylan Levitt (Dundee United).
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Liel Abada (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
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Goal! Celtic 4, Dundee United 2. Liel Abada (Celtic) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Matt O’Riley.
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Moritz Jenz (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
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Goal! Celtic 3, Dundee United 2. Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Anthony Ralston with a headed pass following a corner.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Tony Watt.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Ryan Edwards.
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Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Mark Birighitti.
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Attempt saved. Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Matt O’Riley with a cross.
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Kieran Freeman (Dundee United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Greg Taylor (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Kieran Freeman (Dundee United).
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Substitution, Celtic. Daizen Maeda replaces David Turnbull.
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Goal! Celtic 2, Dundee United 2. Dylan Levitt (Dundee United) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Aziz Behich.
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Foul by Matt O’Riley (Celtic).
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Liam Smith (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.