Celtic Dominates Dundee United in 4-0 Cup Victory
Celtic’s ruthless streak shows no sign of easing. On a wet Tayside night, they ripped Dundee United apart again, storming into the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals with another 4-0 demolition at Tannadice and planting a flag ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League play-off.
Here’s how Martin O’Neill’s side measured up in a one-sided cup cruise.
Sinisalo riding his luck, but the sheet stays clean
Viljami Sinisalo – 7
Another game, another shutout. On paper, it’s a second clean sheet in three for the Finland international. In reality, he’ll know the woodwork did as much as he did. Dundee United hit the frame of the goal five times and somehow walked away without scoring.
Sinisalo’s handling was sound and he looked composed, but his distribution remains a weak point. He won’t care. The numbers say zero conceded, and that’s what keeps goalkeepers in the team.
Makeshift back line, solid foundations
Colby Donovan – 7
Thrown in again with Alistair Johnston crocked, the 19-year-old looks like he’s about to get a serious run at right-back, Champions League blockbuster and all. He didn’t blink.
Donovan was tidy defensively and sharp on the overlap, offering energy down the flank. The big surprise? Third-choice Anthony Ralston didn’t even make the squad, underlining the trust being placed in the teenager.
Cameron Carter-Vickers – 7
Carter-Vickers is edging back towards his best after that brutal Achilles injury cut last season short. He still looks half a yard off it in pure foot races, especially in isolated one-on-ones, but in the air he remains an absolute bully.
With him back marshalling the defence, Celtic’s back line has stiffened noticeably. He took the only booking of the night, but he also took command. That trade-off suits O’Neill just fine.
Auston Trusty – 7
Trusty didn’t just defend; he set the tone. His glancing header from a first-half corner broke the deadlock and settled any early nerves. The USA World Cup defender looks increasingly comfortable beside Carter-Vickers and has the aura of a man who knows the jersey is his.
O’Neill won’t be in a hurry to disrupt this partnership. Trusty and CCV look like a pairing he can build a season on.
Liam Scales – 7
Back from a two-game league ban, the Irishman was asked to plug the gap at left-back with Kieran Tierney wrapped in cotton wool for LASK. Scales did a steady job without ever really exploding into life.
Defensively, he was fine. Going forward, the limitations showed. Celtic clearly lack a natural, attacking deputy on that side, and nights like this only underline it.
Midfield control and a birthday start
Callum McGregor – 7
So much for those whispers about his legs going. At 33, McGregor is still the metronome. He dictated the tempo, knitted play together and rarely wasted a touch.
One lung-bursting run into the box almost brought reward when he picked out Kasper Hogh, a reminder that he still has the engine to go with the brain. Celtic’s captain remains the quiet authority in the middle.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 7
On his 33rd birthday, Oxlade-Chamberlain finally got his first start of the season – and used it well. The technique is still there. The ex-Liverpool and Arsenal midfielder sprayed passes around Tannadice, threading balls through United’s lines and opening them up with his vision.
He did fade after the break, the minutes catching up with him, but he showed enough to prove he can still be a meaningful part of this campaign.
Nygren steals the show as attack runs riot
Benjamin Nygren – 9
Celtic’s “G/A King” is living up to the tag. Three games, three goals, three assists. Nygren is on fire.
His corner delivered Trusty’s opener. Later, he slipped in Sebastian Tounekti for the third. Then he finished the job himself, thundering a strike from 18 yards into the net to complete the rout.
Every time Celtic surged forward, Nygren seemed to be at the heart of it. Man of the match by a distance.
Camilo Duran – 8
What a find this looks. Signed for £6million from Qarabag as a striker, Duran has been just as devastating on the right wing. He opened his Celtic account only minutes after Trusty’s header, reacting quickest to a loose ball in the box – though Dundee United will argue it brushed Hogh’s hand in the build-up.
Duran’s work rate is relentless, his pressing constant. He chased, harried and ran United ragged. Celtic may have unearthed a gem.
Kasper Hogh – 7
No repeat of last week’s stunning first-half hat-trick at Kilmarnock, but the record signing still gave Dundee United’s defence a miserable night.
Hogh’s movement and physicality caused problems, and he played a key role in two goals – first being wrestled to the ground before Duran pounced, then holding the ball up smartly to allow Nygren to feed Tounekti. Even without scoring, he earned his keep.
Sebastian Tounekti – 8
This was the version of Tounekti Celtic fans have been waiting for. After flattering to deceive last season, the Tunisian lit up Tannadice on his first start of the campaign.
He twisted the United defence inside out on a sweeping counter, squeezing his finish past two defenders and into the bottom corner. Later, he turned provider, laying the ball off for Nygren to smash home the fourth. With Yang absent, Tounekti didn’t just fill a gap – he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
Cameos from the bench
Mika Baur – 5
The new German arrival already carries the “Reo Hatate replacement” label, and you can see why. Energetic, busy, always on the move, he showed flashes of the dynamism and creativity that could make him a key piece once Hatate’s future is resolved.
Dane Murray – 4
Another useful taste of first-team football for the academy centre-back. He replaced Trusty and slotted in without fuss, keeping the structure intact on a night when the hard work was largely done.
Luke McCowan – 4
The former Dundee man, who scored off the bench at Rugby Park, was introduced again – this time in place of standout performer Nygren. He couldn’t quite replicate last week’s impact but offered fresh legs and familiarity with the surroundings.
James Forrest – 4
On came the evergreen winger for Hogh, allowing Duran to shift into the central striker role. Forrest’s experience and game intelligence helped Celtic see things out comfortably while still carrying a threat on the break.
Haissem Hassan – 3
The “Egyptian wing king” barely featured in pre-season, and the rust was obvious. Even so, the roar that greeted his introduction for Tounekti told its own story. The fans want to see more of him. Nights like this, with the tie already killed, are where that story can start to build.
Celtic leave Tannadice with another 4-0, another statement, and a squad humming with form and competition for places. With a Champions League play-off looming, O’Neill’s only real dilemma now is this: which in-form star does he dare leave out?
