Preview: Celtic vs. Dundee United - prediction, team news, lineups

Celtic, aiming to further widen their pb astatine the apical of the Scottish Premiership table, are acceptable to instrumentality connected high-flying Dundee United astatine Celtic Park connected Wednesday night.

The hosts are apical of the array with 53 points from their opening 20 matches of the campaign, portion the visitors are 3rd successful the standings with 34 points from 21 games.

Match preview

© Imago

Celtic person enjoyed a phenomenal commencement to the 2024-25 season, sitting apical of the Scottish Premiership array with a important 13-point lead, connected people to suffice for the knockout rounds of the Champions League and already lifted the Scottish League Cup aft beating Rangers connected penalties successful the final.

They initially won each of their archetypal 9 games of the run earlier suffering a humiliating 7-1 nonaccomplishment to Borussia Dortmund successful the Champions League, but Brendan Rodgers's broadside fantastically bounced backmost by remaining unbeaten successful the pursuing 18 outings, with 5 draws and 13 wins.

That tally included a sensational Scottish League Cup last that saw Celtic and Rangers tussle for 120 minutes successful a melodramatic 3-3 gully earlier the Bhoys triumphed 5-4 connected penalties to assistance the archetypal silverware of the season.

However, Celtic's unbeaten streak successful home competitions was snapped conscionable 3 games aboriginal erstwhile they faced Rangers erstwhile again, this clip falling to a convincing 3-0 decision arsenic the Gers importantly outplayed the Bhoys.

For the 2nd clip this season, Celtic person been capable to rapidly bounce backmost from defeat, comfortably beating St Mirren 3-0 successful their past outing, a effect they volition beryllium aiming to physique upon erstwhile they instrumentality connected Dundee Utd connected Wednesday.

The visitors whitethorn beryllium a sterner trial than the Saints, though, with Dundee Utd heading into this matchup having enjoyed a sensational archetypal fractional of the 2024-25 campaign.

The Tangerines suffered a daze relegation from the apical formation successful 2022-23 but instantly rebounded arsenic they lifted the Scottish Championship rubric successful 2023-24, earning promotion consecutive backmost into the Premiership.

Jim Goodwin's men person made a singular instrumentality to the apical flight, presently sitting 3rd successful the array with 34 points from 21 matches, aft 9 wins, 7 draws and 5 defeats.

They did endure a disappointing nonaccomplishment successful their past outing, losing 1-0 to relegation-battling Hearts to bring an extremity to their three-game winning run, a decision they volition beryllium anxious to bounce backmost from here.

However, past is surely against the visitors, with Dundee Utd having failed to grounds a triumph against Celtic successful immoderate of the past 20 meetings crossed each competitions.

Celtic Scottish Premiership form:

Celtic signifier (all competitions):

Dundee United Scottish Premiership form:

Team News

© Imago

Celtic are acceptable to proceed without the services of some James Forrest and Odin Thiago Holm for this lucifer owed to wounded issues, but some are apt to instrumentality aboriginal this month.

After bouncing backmost from their decision to Rangers with a beardown show and 3-0 triumph against St Mirren past clip out, Rodgers could opt to sanction a akin starting squad for this one.

As for the visitors, Craig Sibbald (groin) and Louis Moult (shoulder) are some improbable to diagnostic until aboriginal this period owed to ongoing wounded concerns.

Elsewhere, Goodwin could determine to marque respective changes to the broadside that underwhelmingly mislaid 1-0 to Hearts successful their past match, though apical scorer Sam Dalby is expected to support his spot successful attack.

Celtic imaginable starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; McCowan, McGregor, Engels; Kuhn, Idah, Maeda

We say: Celtic 2-1 Dundee United

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