What Does Celtic's Latest Loss Mean For Scottish Premiership Title Race?

ByAndrew Petrie

BBC Sport Scotland

Perhaps Celtic losing to Dundee United shouldn't person been that surprising.

After all, there's only been 1 play successful this astonishing Scottish Premiership play successful which nan apical 3 person each taken 3 points.

And fixed Hearts and Rangers some won connected Saturday...

When group show you this title title has had plentifulness of twists and turns, they aren't underselling it.

This clip past week, Celtic were made nan bookmakers' favourites to triumph nan title aft Hearts slipped up. Now, they way nan Tynecastle nine by 5 points pinch 7 games to go.

Might this latest setback for Martin O'Neill and his squad beryllium terminal?

No broadside has ever won nan Scottish apical formation pinch arsenic galore arsenic 8 defeats. And Celtic's tally of losses is now much than Hearts (five) and Rangers (two) combined.

They are 17 points worse disconnected than this constituent past season, pinch a extremity quality of 22 arsenic compared to 72.

The fall-off has been remarkable, but tin they really beryllium ruled retired erstwhile they're only 5 points behind?

Celtic person put successful akin performances this play to nan 1 they delivered astatine Tannadice, but travel distant pinch 3 points. Think of nan precocious wins astatine Kilmarnock and Livingston, aliases nan constrictive triumph astatine Falkirk.

But against United, they looked beach-bound connected a transportation that had much soil than grass.

The hosts created more, had much value successful nan last third, and carried much of a threat. Celtic's beforehand 3 struggled each game.

"They couldn't create anything," said erstwhile Parkhead goalkeeper Pat Bonner. "They've nary striker that tin move a crippled erstwhile they're not playing well.

"I've seen it successful nan past, galore a bully striker that hasn't offered thing successful a crippled but they person that expertise to get you a extremity erstwhile you were struggling.

"That doesn't look to beryllium location astatine nan moment."

Kelechi Iheanacho made his first commencement successful nan convention since October, having had conscionable 1 substitute quality and a 35-minute League Cup last cameo successful nan interim.

Tomas Cvancara, who has started 5 convention games since arriving successful January, was ill. Junior Adamu, different wintertime addition, has started doubly and been substituted astatine half-time successful both.

"They look fragile," Bonner said of his erstwhile club. "Celtic are really nether unit now. The mobility will beryllium from galore now, is that their title gone?"

Martin O'Neill had ne'er mislaid successful 20 erstwhile matches against United earlier this. Another stat blown retired of nan water.

There's plentifulness much to propulsion up. United hadn't beaten Celtic by much than a azygous extremity since 1990.

And Celtic's 34 goals conceded is their worst ever successful a Premiership season, and there's 7 games left.

"Of course, it's a concern," O'Neill told BBC Sport Scotland. "It's a large rustle to us. We're beaten and, pinch games moving out, we can't really spend to do that, but we're still successful it.

"It's been difficult since I've group ft successful nan spot some times [this season]. Today is simply a rustle but we're not vanished yet."

But O'Neill has arguably ne'er faced a task of this magnitude.

Celtic haven't mislaid 8 games successful a play since nan 1999-00 campaign. They've scored only 56 goals truthful far, their lowest return astatine this shape since 1994-95.

Add to that nan truth they person only led nan convention for 1 week of a run that is now 31 games old.

Celtic sojourn Dens Park successful 2 weeks' clip - a crushed they mislaid astatine earlier this play erstwhile Dundee were successful disarray and Brendan Rodgers was still successful charge.

After that, they big St Mirren. They've squeezed past nan Paisley broadside 1-0 doubly this play successful nan league, but nan League Cup last nonaccomplishment astatine Hampden will haunt them.

Rangers, meanwhile, big United astatine Ibrox earlier a travel to Falkirk. As for nan convention leaders, Hearts recreation to Livingston, past big Motherwell.

It's intolerable to opportunity who has nan easier games, fixed nan unpredictable quality of this campaign. You'd person amended luck picking nan lottery numbers.

But Celtic must reside nan worrisome performances they're now producing. There were plentifulness that foreshadowed nan disastrous conclusion astatine Tannadice, and they can't spend another.

"Sometimes you conscionable person to eat humble pie," is really skipper Callum McGregor summed it up successful nan post-match.

On nan grounds of this game, Celtic don't person nan appetite to situation their rivals.