United hope to end 40 games of hurt

Posted Sunday, November 22, 2009 by ESPN

After ten years, thirty-nine games and no wins, Dundee United fans could be forgiven for failing to tick a home win on the coupon for this Sunday's meeting with Celtic. The fixture has left a generation of young Arabs relying on their fathers' hazy recollections as proof that a trip to see Celtic play is not necessarily an exercise in futility. The final clash between the pair this decade offers genuine hope that Craig Levein's current side have the capacity to end that sequence.

United's record against Celtic - a winless run stretching back to the days of John Barnes, when goals from Billy Dodds and Craig Easton saw off the Bhoys - offers little in the way of hope but recently results between the pair have been close run matters.

Celtic failed to beat the Terrors over ninety minutes until the fifth time of asking last season and September's match at Parkhead saw David Goodwillie's shock early goal secure a point for the visitors, a game which seemed to provide the first warning signs for Celtic fans that the route to domestic success this season would he a hazardous one.

Levein's early season pairing of Goodwillie with Danny Cadamarteri was a blend of youth and experience which blossomed unexpectedly although the absence of goals from the duo in recent games has been offset by the reappearance of Damian Casalinuovo who, after the briefest of loan spells at Raith Rovers, has kicked off his Dundee United career in emphatic style.

Three goals in his last two SPL games suggests the Argentinean has assimilated himself into his Tayside surroundings. The striker was one of Levein's summer acquisitions, a recruitment drive that added quality such as Nicky Weaver (whose short-term deal has left some big gloves for Dusan Pernis to fill in January) and Andy Webster to a Dundee United sides harbouring hopes of third spot - or better.

Last month's visit of Rangers saw the elements intervene at a rain-lashed Tannadice but the momentum The Terrors were building prior to the half-time abandonment suggests Rangers lead in that game was a ragged one. A win over Celtic would add further lustre to the belief that this year, with both Glasgow giants exhibiting glaring signs of weakness, the Old Firm can be split and would further enhance Levein's credentials as the next national boss.

Whilst Levein's star has been rising, Tony Mowbray would probably have shared the relief of Aiden McGeady that last weekend's international round of fixtures offered temporary shelter from the storm that has been swelling around Celtic Park of late.

The 3-3 draw against bottom side Falkirk provided incontrovertible evidence - if it were needed - that the Celtic defence contains the sort of holes a title challenge can slip carelessly through. "It was as poor as we had been all season", was Mowbray's typically forthright verdict on proceedings at The Falkirk Stadium and his unstintingly honest assessments of his charges lies in stark contrast to the often cringeworthy attempts of Gordon Strachan to defend his side's poor displays.

The effect such candour must have on team morale, however, is debatable and skipper Stephen McManus' admitted recently that clear the air talks took place with their manager.

McManus's suspension for Sunday's game - earned for a cynical trip on Hearts' Andy Driver - deprives Mowbray of another first team defender with Glenn Loovens looking likely to miss out with a groin strain. Youngster Josh Thompson may step up for his debut and Celtic's recent defensive record suggests he could only improve on what has preceded him.

Up front, Scott McDonald's impressive goals to games spares him the Celtic fans brickbats although the past fortnight's round of international games has confirmed that, remarkably, three of Celtic's recognised strikers should board planes bound for South Africa next summer - Giorgios Samaras' Greece and Chris Killen's New Zealand both booking their places at the World Cup to join McDonald's Australia.

Mowbray's big summer signing Marc-Antoine Fortune has recently won his way back into the side after a lengthy spell out injured but he still has much to do to prove his worth to the Celtic fans.

Notable absentees Scott Brown and Artur Boruc have been capably replaced by ex-Terrors Barry Robson and Lukasz Zaluska but the continued impression of this Celtic team is that it contains at its core a degree of doubt that opposition teams can exploit.

Dundee United have injury problems of their own with the likes of Lee Wilkie, Scott Robertson and Francisco Sandanza all still out but they continue to impress even without these first-choice players. Their return can only strengthen Levein's hand. A win on Sunday would do so even more.