Will Ferry is hoisted aloft by Amar FatahSNS

Will Ferry had never scored for United in almost two seasons at the club

At a glance

  • Celtic slip in title race to trail league leaders Hearts by five points

  • United pull off second shock against Celtic, having beaten Wilfried Nancy's outfit in December

  • Will Ferry and Emmanuel Agyei are the goalscorers in an unlikely win that alleviates relegation fears

Dundee Utd v Celtic highlights

22/03/26

Watch on iPlayer
Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Celtic became the latest club to stumble in the race for the Scottish Premiership title as struggling Dundee United beat them at Tannadice for the second time this season.

It is the first time United have achieved such a feat in 35 years, and goes some way to alleviating fears they could get sucked into a relegation play-off battle.

United captain Will Ferry got the first goal, stabbing in from close range on a pitch that was heavily criticised for its sandy, bobbly surface.

Emmanuel Agyei, a January signing from FC Ashdod in Israel, scored the unlikely second, drilling in from outside the box to double the hosts' advantage.

Celtic pushed for a way to get back into the game, but United proved more stable at the back than they did last week in their last collapse against neighbours Dundee.

It was a deserved victory for Jim Goodwin's men, too.

Although Celtic dominated possession, United had 18 shots - the most the Glasgow club have faced in the league this season - as they peppered the opposition in a surprisingly offensive performance.

Martin O'Neill's side now trail league Hearts by five points, and second-placed Rangers by two.

As well as claiming another famous scalp, United keep their slim hopes of a top-six finish alive. They are six points behind Falkirk, with two games to play before the split.

Analysis: Sorry Celtic no match for United euphoria

Unlike the win against Celtic in December - when the visitors dominated the first half and collapsed in the second - this one was even throughout, with United creating more threatening chances.

The pitch played its part. Both sides clearly struggled to read the bounce of the ball.

But there was still a strange atmosphere at Tannadice, where the George Fox Stand looked surprisingly bare in places - similar to the pitch, really.

It was flat at times in the final 10 minutes, but the nerves could be explained. United have dropped 22 points from winning positions this season, most recently in last Sunday's derby. No team has chucked away more.

Their late fragility was not on show in the dying stages here. The ball was up the other end of the pitch. Zac Sapsford and Ferry played it around in the corner.

Their game management was superb. Iurie Iovu was excellent at the back, as was Krisztian Keresztes. Amar Fatah was his usual unpredictable self and Ferry played with the intensity that Celtic totally lacked.

Attacking stats between United and CelticOpta

For Celtic, it was the kind of result that previous performances have forewarned.

Their best chance came from Ashley Maynard-Brewer, the United keeper who almost spilled one into his own net, only for the ball to bounce on the line and spin away.

Kelechi Iheanacho and Kieran Tierney both spurned chances in the first half, Daizen Maeda sliced one in the second, but that was it.

In certain games this season, they have been miles off it, but have been able to dig something out. There was more chance of digging up sandcastles than a win here.

That's now eight defeats for the season. Hibs have only lost seven. United have lost 10 in total.

For fans, and most likely for Martin O'Neill, the alarming slide in standards has been hard to stomach. The last time they lost as many was in the 1999-2000 season.

What they said

'We have to keep believing' - Goodwin

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "We're delighted to win any game but to win in the manner we did this afternoon was really pleasing.

"When you beat Celtic or Rangers, the talking points tend to be about them, but when people watch the game back, we were the better team.

"We looked like the team that carried the most threat all afternoon."

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill: "We had a lot of possession in the first half. We seemed to be camped outside their penalty area. We couldn't penetrate them.

"They got the goal and deserved to win the game. The second half, we probably didn't adapt, maybe to conditions.

"Of course, it's a concern. Of course, it's a big blow to us. We're beaten in the game and with games running down, we can't really afford to do that, but we're still in it."

Celtic not out of title race despite 'blow' - O'Neill

What's next?

United travel to Ibrox to play Rangers on Saturday, 4 April (15:00 BST), while Celtic are back in Tayside to play Dundee the following day (16:30).

Player of the match

W. Ferry
8.53
11 W. Ferry
8.53
12 E. Agyei
8.34
21 L. Stephenson
8.11
5 V. Ševelj
8.08
1 A. Maynard-Brewer
8.07
23 K. Keresztes
8.07
4 I. Iovu
8.05
6 R. Graham
8.03
20 N. Farrugia
7.93
17 A. Fatah
7.90
36 M. Watters
7.76
9 Z. Sapsford
7.76
8 Panutche Camará
7.47
14 C. Sibbald
7.36
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