Celtic, aiming to rebound from their narrow first leg defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, will face an out-of-sorts Dundee United at Celtic Park on Saturday.
The hosts are top of the Scottish Premiership table by a significant 13 points, while the visitors are third but are in danger of being caught by those below them.
Match preview
© Imago
Celtic are enjoying yet another dominant year in Scottish football, having already lifted the Scottish League Cup trophy, booked their place in the quarter-final of the Scottish FA Cup, and also built a commanding 13-point lead at the top of the league table.
After 25 Scottish Premiership fixtures, the Bhoys have won 21, drawn three and lost just one - their only defeat across all domestic competitions this term - leaving them with 66 points, significantly ahead of second-placed Rangers on 53 points.
Brendan Rodgers has also led his side to an impressive run in the Champions League, securing qualification to the knockout rounds for the first time since 2012-13, after the Bhoys finished 21st in the league phase table.
Celtic were dealt a tough draw against European giants Bayern Munich for their knockout playoff round tie, and a narrow 2-1 defeat at Celtic Park in the first leg puts them behind as they head into a difficult away trip to the Allianz Arena.
Following the frustration of missing several key chances to secure a draw in that match, Celtic will look to bounce back against Dundee Utd on Saturday, aiming to build belief ahead of the crucial second leg on Tuesday.
Given Celtic's dominance in domestic competitions this campaign, they should be confident of securing all three points, especially considering the Bhoys have won nine of the last 10 meetings with Dundee Utd at Paradise.
Jim Goodwin's side have also appeared to hit a wall in the past weeks, heading into this matchup with the Scottish Premiership leaders having won just one of their last six outings, losing the other five.
That will come as a major disappointment for the Tangerines, particularly after such a positive start to the season that saw them win nine, draw seven and lose four of their first 20 league fixtures.
Dundee Utd still reside in third place in the table, with 37 points from 25 outings, but their recent form has allowed the chasing pack to make up ground, now holding just a seven-point lead over eight-placed St Mirren.
Goodwin will be eager for his side to get back to winning ways, and he will be hoping their strong away form – which has seen them earn the second-most points in the league on the road – can help secure a much-needed result in this match.
Dundee Utd have had a two-week break leading up to this game, while Celtic have played four matches in that time, and Goodwin will likely look to capitalize on that extra rest in an attempt to secure the win.
Team News
![Jim Goodwin (Manager) of Dundee United during the 2024/25 Pre Season Friendly match between Dundee United and Luton Town at CalForth Construction Arena, Tannadice Park, Scotland on 26 July 2024 [on August 2, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/31/jim-goodwin.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Jim Goodwin (Manager) of Dundee United during the 2024/25 Pre Season Friendly match between Dundee United and Luton Town at CalForth Construction Arena, Tannadice Park, Scotland on 26 July 2024 [on August 2, 2024]")
© Imago
James Forrest has been ruled out since December due to a foot issue and is not expected to return until later this month, while Paulo Bernardo is also a doubt after missing the defeat to Bayern Munich.
With the second leg against Bayern Munich on Tuesday in mind, Rodgers may rotate his squad to rest key players, meaning the likes of Jota, Anthony Ralston, Luke McCowan and Jeffrey Schlupp could start.
Adam Idah has netted four goals in his last four appearances across all competitions, and the striker will look to add to his tally with a start expected in this one.
As for Dundee Utd, Craig Sibbald has not featured since a 1-0 victory against St Mirren in early October, and the midfielder is not expected to return until later this month.
Having had a two-week break leading up to this match, Goodwin is likely to name his strongest side against the league leaders, with top scorer Sam Dalby spearheading the attack.
Celtic possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Schlupp; McCowan, McGregor, Hatate; Jota, Idah, Hyun-Jun
Dundee United possible starting lineup:
Walton; Adegboyega, Gallagher, Holt; Strain, Sevelj, Campbell, Ferry; Stephenson; Dalby, Moult
We say: Celtic 3-1 Dundee United
Celtic may rotate their side ahead of their Champions League second leg, but with a squad packed with talent, we still expect them to secure a comfortable victory over Dundee Utd.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
