Celtic Maintain Perfect Record In The League With Win At Tannadice

Celtic continued their winning streak in the Scottish Premier League with a 2-1 victory over the Terrors on Sunday, but it was not enough to keep them in top spot, Rangers leap-frogging them on goal difference.

The result makes the Old Firm derby next weekend even more vital for both team's title hopes, with one slip potentially dealing great harm to that side's ambitions for glory.

Celtic will certainly have momentum after dominating Dundee United at Tannadice, helped by a superb performance from Georgios Samaras.

Despite his efforts, it fell to Gary Hooper to ensure the points went to Celtic, scoring early in the game and late.

His first, in the 13th minute can courtesy of a Mark Wilson cross. Stokes had picked up the ball on the touchline, span and fed it to Wilson, who fired across a cross which Hooper put in the back of the net from the six-yard line.

With seven minutes left in the first half, Goodwillie took advantage of some confusion in the defense, running the ball to the 18 yard line while Ledley was on the ground, and shooting in a ball that deflected off Loovens and into the back of the net.

Mostly ineffectual in the first half, the home side looked to continue to build on the momentum of their equalizer in order to get back into the game.

Buaben came close with a shot fired from 20 yards out which was punched away by Forster, though Samaras and Maloney had good chances a the other end.

With twenty minutes to go, it looked like Celtic would be able to take all three points home early when referee Dougie McDonald gave a penalty after it seemed that Pernis took the legs of Hooper out from under him.

Visiting fans were thus amazed when, after consultations with a linesman, McDonald changed his mind and awarded a drop-ball instead.

Hooper finally delivered the coup de grace with seconds left in regulation, stabbing a ball that had been headed down by Samaras into the back of the net.

Manager Neil Lennon was ecstatic after the game claiming that: "If that doesn't bring the supporters back to Scottish football, I don't know what will.

"I thought we were wonderful. Our forward play was breathtaking and defensively we were very solid."

He was hopeful that the performance against the Terrors would help the players motivate themselves for next weekend's game: "Dundee United put us under a bit of pressure for the first 10 minutes of the second half, but after that it was constant Celtic pressure ...

" ... It was wave after wave of attack and belief. I thought the football was very high calibre and it's a big three points going into next week's game."