Celtic on course for Dundee win

Dundee United 0 Celtic 1 (half-time)

Celtic were on course to go eight points clear at the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League courtesy of Chris Sutton’s first-half strike at Tannadice today.

The visitors finally put a good passing move together which almost resulted in the opening goal in the 18th minute.

Henrik Larsson fed Stilian Petrov on the left flank and his cross arrived at Thompson but his volley bounced just past the post from nine yards.

Sutton then fired over the crossbar from the edge of the box after being picked out by Varga’s long ball three minutes later.

Thompson somehow avoided a booking moments later for a poor tackle on Dodds under the referee’s nose and in good view of both dug-outs.

But Celtic went even closer to breaking the deadlock in the 26th minute when Sutton fed Larsson inside the box but he drove his right-footed shot into the side-netting.

United’s early threat had disappeared and even when the Celtic defence allowed Derek McInnes to run through the midfield his shot was too weak to test Magnus Hedman.

But in a half of so much mediocrity it was not a surprise that a mistake from Chris Innes gifted Celtic their opener in the 32nd minute.

He stumbled inside the box and the ball ran to Sutton who steered it around Gallacher and inside his left post.

But Varga was fortunate not to be shown a second yellow card when he blatantly body-checked Robson on the far touchline.