Digressive Celts

Matches › 2026/27

Dundee United v Celtic

Wednesday 30 December 2026, 19:45 · CalForth Construction Arena at Tannadice Park · Round 21

Forecast

Dundee UnitedCeltic
Expected goals0.952.02
Win16%62%
Expected Points0.712.07
Clean sheet13%39%

Dundee United 16%Draw 22%Celtic 62%

Most likely score 0–2, 10%. Both sides score 54%.

Celtic goalsDundee United goals0123456+0123456+6%7%4%1%4%7%3%1%2%5%5%3%2%1%2%1%10%10%10%10%

From the forecast as it stood on 11 October 2026: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page.

Form

Dundee United

  1. W1–010 OctHibernian (H)xG 1.68–0.77
  2. W3–019 SepSt. Mirren (A)xG 1.60–0.99
  3. D1–15 SepFalkirk (H)xG 2.66–1.27
  4. L0–32 SepMotherwell (A)xG 0.16–2.39
  5. W4–029 AugKilmarnock (A)xG 3.42–1.13
  6. L0–222 AugDundee FC (H)xG 1.19–1.43

Celtic

  1. W2–011 OctMotherwell (A)xG 2.85–1.10
  2. L0–120 SepRangers (H)xG 0.39–1.81
  3. W1–09 SepSt. Johnstone (A)xG 1.80–0.69
  4. W2–15 SepSt. Mirren (A)xG 3.19–1.95
  5. W3–02 SepAberdeen (H)xG 2.67–0.68
  6. W2–129 AugFalkirk (H)xG 3.45–0.57

The last six league matches, newest first, with xG for and against.

Season to date

Dundee UnitedCeltic
Position6th1st
Played88
Won, drawn, lost3–⁠2–⁠37–⁠0–⁠1
Points11 (1.38 per game)21 (2.62 per game)
Expected Points per game1.492.25
Goals10–⁠1116–⁠4
xG per game1.62–⁠1.462.76–⁠1.03
Home: points, xG per game1.25, 1.79–⁠1.232.25, 2.19–⁠0.89
Away: points, xG per game1.50, 1.44–⁠1.683.00, 3.33–⁠1.18
ManagerJim Goodwin (96)Martin O'Neill (26)

League matches this season before kick-off. The manager's number is league matches in charge since 2020/21.

Ratings

0.51.01.52.0League average 1.34AttackDundee United1.25, 6thCeltic2.11, 1stDefence (lower is better)Dundee United1.43, 6thCeltic0.88, 1st

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.02.5AugSepOctDundee United attack: 1.25Celtic attack: 2.112.111.25CelticDundee UnitedDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.02.5AugSepOctDundee United defence: 1.43Celtic defence: 0.881.430.88

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday, with their rank among the league's clubs; a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs, spread up and down only so they don't overlap.

Strengths and weaknesses

Dundee UnitedCeltic
CreatedConcededCreatedConceded
Open play−24%+17%+121%−47%
Counter-attacks+57%−71%+175%−28%
Set pieces+64%−23%−21%−4%
Penalties−40%−40%−100%−40%
Headers+1%−39%+132%−24%
Left side−18%+12%+164%−64%
Centre+3%−2%+93%−6%
Right side+43%−21%+25%−48%

xG created and conceded per game against the league average this season: +24% is 24% more than an average side. Left and right are each side's own, so chances conceded on its left come from opponents attacking down their right. Green favours the side and amber doesn't.

Matchups

Dundee United attacking

Dundee United createdCeltic concededLeft side−18%−48%Centre+3%−6%Right side+43%−64%Open play−24%−47%Counter-attacks+57%−28%Set pieces+64%−4%Headers+1%−24%

Celtic attacking

Celtic createdDundee United concededLeft side+164%−21%Centre+93%−2%Right side+25%+12%Open play+121%+17%Counter-attacks+175%−71%Set pieces−21%−23%Headers+132%−39%

Each side's xG created per game down each side of the pitch, through the centre, and from each type of chance, against what its opponent concedes there, both relative to the league average.

Season averages

Dundee UnitedCeltic

1.62xG2.76
1.46xG against1.03
50%Possession62%
16.1Shots20.6
15.4Shots against10.9
5.4Shots on target9.1
2.4Big chances5.0
30.0Touches in the opposition box39.5
398Passes620
78%Pass accuracy88%
6.2Corners9.4
46%Field tilt68%
39.0Final-third entries62.3
14.0Box entries24.5
12.2Passes per defensive action13.0

Per league match this season before kick-off.

Game state this season

Dundee United

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level241.931.19
Ahead291.741.14
Behind361.301.89

Celtic

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level262.061.25
Ahead543.220.93
Behind112.161.05

xG by period

Dundee United

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.230.383–3
16–300.160.160–1
31–450.490.235–1
46–600.210.300–3
61–750.250.220–3
76–900.280.172–0

Celtic

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.330.134–0
16–300.420.241–1
31–450.550.234–1
46–600.590.075–1
61–750.340.212–1
76–900.540.150–0

Per game this season, with stoppage time counted in its half; goals are totals for and against.

Most used players by position

Dundee United

GKRBCBCBLBCMCMCMRWSTLWWalton 8Rawlins 7Yoro 1Esselink 8Forbes 8Ferry 5Ciubotaru 3Camará 4Sevelj 3Iqbal 2Tait 6Agyei 4Cameron 3Yoro 2Randall 4Merghem 4Metsoko 3Sapsford 3Rose 2Bennie 6Randall 1Sapsford 14-3-3 in every start

Celtic

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTSinisalo 7Johnstone 1Donovan 5Johnston 2Carter-Vickers 1Carter-Vickers 5Murray 2Trusty 6Scales 3Tierney 5Scales 3McGregor 7Baur 5Oxlade-Chamberlain 2Engels 2Hassan 4Durán 3McCowan 1Nygren 6Donovan 1Sørensen 1Yang 5Tounekti 2Nygren 1Høgh 4Durán 44-2-3-1 in 6 of 8 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (6), 3-4-3 (1), 4-1-4-1 (1)

This season's most used formation, with up to three players who started most often in each position and their league starts there. Underneath, when a side has used more than one, every formation with its starts.

Head to head

DateHomeAwayxG
22 March 2026Dundee United2–0CelticxG 1.13–1.10
10 January 2026Celtic4–0Dundee UnitedxG 3.18–0.34
17 December 2025Dundee United2–1CelticxG 1.45–3.20
26 April 2025Dundee United0–5CelticxG 0.44–3.06
15 February 2025Celtic3–0Dundee UnitedxG 1.64–0.16
8 January 2025Celtic2–0Dundee UnitedxG 1.74–0.16

17 league meetings since 2020/21: Dundee United won 2, Celtic won 11, and 4 were drawn. Goals 8–40 and xG 0.57–2.65 per game.

Key players

Dundee United

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Randall5506220.360.35
Bennie6457110.450.09
Tait6610000.090.15
Forbes8720100.120.04

Celtic

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Nygren7564430.660.23
Durán7531430.490.32
Baur5460100.300.14
Scales6536100.100.15

Up to four players a side with the most xG plus xA per 90 minutes, from those with at least 450 league minutes.