Bhoys Stay Top Despite Draw At Tannadice

Dundee United 2 Celtic 2

Celtic failed to take advantage of Rangers' Saturday morning draw against Hearts but stayed three points clear at the top of the table thanks to Lee Naylor's equaliser that left the Bhoys sharing the spoils at Tannadice on Sunday.

With Stephen McManus missing the game, Vennegoor of Hesselink wore the captain's armband and was involved in the action from the beginning.

Celtic seized the lead in the 23rd minute when Paul Hartley swung in a corner kick that was badly covered by United's defenders - Warren Feeney headed the ball back towards his own goal and 'keeper Lukasz Zaluska's save bounced only as far as Scott McDonald who squeezed it into the net past a helpless Morgaro Gomis.

It was all Celtic in the first-half, but Zaluska showed the fans why he was in such demand for next season by making excellent saves against strong efforts from McDonald and Vennegoor of Hesselink.

Whatever United's coach Craig Levein said to his team during the half-time break seemed to inspire them though and they quickly equalized when a corner from Dixon was headed into the Celtic net by Sandaza with just two minutes elapsed in the second-half.

Eleven minutes later, United took the lead through the efforts of the same pair, this time Dixon cutting the ball back for the Spaniard, who fired the ball into the bottom corner.

Though trailing, Celtic's players did not give up though and started piling the pressure on, though again Zaluska was there to deny them the equalizer; until the 81st minute anyway.

That was when Naylor floated a long throw-in towards goal and in the subsequent confusion in the box, Naylor himself got on the end of another misdirected United clearance to shoot the ball into the back of the net.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan was rueful of his team's performance, saying: "We won a point back, we lost two.

"It was a fantastic game. It had everything. That game was fit for a stadium filled with 100,000 people.

"That was our best performance this season against Dundee United in the league. We made more chances today.

"I thought the forwards were good today, the midfield was fine. Not everyone was functioning fully but I think that added to the game.

"Lee Naylor's goal was a terrific strike. I doubt very much if he'll hit a better one in his career."