United conceded another five goals to Celtic this afternoon without ever looking like netting any kind of consolation. In October last season, in the Tangerines' first league encounter of the campaign, they also let five goals in, however, on that occasion Jim McIntyre scored an excellent consolation goal.
Celtic put United under pressure right from the kick off creating three quality chances in the first few minutes of the match. United, although never really threatening, managed to take the sting out of the game and Celtic found themselves breaking through less and less. Just when it appeared that the game could move towards half time scoreless, Guppy slid a free kick out on the right wing into the path of McNamara who was lurking unmarked on the edge of the United penalty box. The Celtic player struck a superb strike through all the players in the box and past Gallacher into the net to break the deadlock. Once broken, the floodgates opened with Celtic adding a second minutes later and a third before half time.
United had much more of the ball for the first twenty five minutes after the break however Martin O'Neill made three substitutes at the one time and this seemed to spark life into the home side with one of these subs, John Hartson, adding a fourth before Larsson finished the scoring with ten minutes remaining.
United offered little in the way of attack throughout the match. Allan Smart earned some more time on the field coming on as a substitute but there was little comfort for the Arabs in the large crowd inside Celtic Park.
FULL TIME: CELTIC 5 UNITED 0
UNITED: GALLACHER, McCUNNIE, GRIFFIN, McGOWNE, LAUCHLIN, EASTON, MILLER, McINTYRE, ALJOFREE, DUFF, THOMPSON SUBS: JARVIE, LILLEY, PATERSON, SMART, VENETIS
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