Dundee United 0-0 Celtic: League leaders draw first blank

Celtic failed to score in the Scottish Premiership for the first time this season as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Dundee United at Tannadice Park.

Despite dominating from the first whistle, the hosts held their ground, weathering a late flurry of chances to claim a point.

Celtic started on the front foot, as Daizen Maeda’s stretching effort landed harmlessly in Jack Walton’s gloves before Reo Hatate fizzed one wide of the far post shortly after.

The visitors, though, could not take advantage of their dominance in the first half, with United just about smothering their threat.

United could have caught them out shortly after the restart, but Kasper Schmeichel easily held Miller Thomson’s tame effort, which was the hosts’ first attempt of the game.

Celtic kept United penned back in their own half for the majority of the second period, with Walton excellently tipping Maeda’s looping header over the bar before smothering Kyogo Furuhashi’s effort, but the Hoops could not find a way through.

We’re forced to settle for a draw at Tannadice.#DUTDCEL | #CelticFC pic.twitter.com/qDSKmZ4Evp

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) December 22, 2024

Data Debrief: Drawing a blank

Only twice before this season had Celtic failed to hit the back of the net, both in the Champions League, and United did well to stifle a team that have already netted 44 times in the top flight.

Brendan Rodgers’ side remain unbeaten at the top of the table, with a nine-point cushion over second-place Rangers, and he will be hoping the profligacy they showed this time out is just a blip.

Celtic had 17 shots overall but only tested Walton three times, as they created chances worth just 0.87 expected goals, though they did extend their unbeaten streak away at United to 12 games in all competitions.