Celtic Dominates Dundee United 4-0 in Premier Sports Cup

Celtic’s ruthless streak shows no sign of easing. On a night when Dundee United hit the woodwork five times, the holders simply shrugged, scored four, and marched into the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals with another cold-blooded dismantling at Tannadice.

It finished 4-0 again. Same opponents, same scoreline, same ominous message before Wednesday’s Champions League play-off.

Player Ratings

Viljami Sinisalo – 7

Another clean sheet, his second in three games, but this one came wrapped in good fortune. Dundee United struck the frame of the goal five times and will head home wondering how they didn’t score at least once. Sinisalo won’t care. The 24-year-old Finland international handled what he had to deal with and looked assured, even if his distribution still lags behind the rest of his game.

Colby Donovan – 7

Thrown in again at right-back with Alistair Johnston sidelined, the 19-year-old looks like he’ll be keeping that jersey for the Champions League tie as well. Solid defensively, sharp when he stepped forward, Donovan did little to suggest he should be dropped. The surprise was that third-choice Anthony Ralston didn’t even make the bench.

Cameron Carter-Vickers – 7

The anchor around which Celtic’s defence is rebuilding itself. Fresh back from a serious Achilles injury, the American is still a shade off top speed in one-on-one races, but in the air he remains a bully. Celtic’s back line looks tighter with him in it, and that’s no coincidence. Took the only booking of the night.

Auston Trusty – 7

Broke the deadlock with a superb glancing header from a corner early in the first half, setting the tone. The USA World Cup defender looks increasingly comfortable alongside Carter-Vickers and has the air of a man who knows the shirt is his. O’Neill will think twice before tinkering with that central pairing. They look settled, and it shows.

Liam Scales – 7

Back from a two-game league suspension and dropped in at left-back with Kieran Tierney wrapped in cotton wool for LASK. Scales did his job, defended reliably and used the ball sensibly, but he doesn’t offer the same attacking punch from full-back. The performance underlined what Celtic already know: they could use a more natural, forward-thinking deputy on that flank.

Callum McGregor – 7

So much for the talk that his legs had gone. At 33, the captain still runs the show. McGregor dictated the tempo, knitted play together and barely wasted a touch. He even produced a trademark surge into the box to find Kasper Hogh, a move that almost brought another goal. The heartbeat remains strong.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 7

On his 33rd birthday, he finally got his first start of the season and used it to remind everyone of his class. The former Liverpool and Arsenal midfielder sprayed passes around Tannadice, slicing Dundee United open with clever, threaded balls. The sharpness dipped after the interval, but the technique hasn’t gone anywhere. There’s still a role for him in this squad.

Benjamin Nygren – 9

Celtic’s early-season talisman. Three games, three goals, three assists. The numbers tell the story, but the performance filled in the colour. His corner set up Trusty’s opener, he then slipped in Sebastian Tounekti for the third, and finally smashed in the fourth himself from 18 yards to complete the rout. A thunderous finish, a man-of-the-match display, and a player who looks unstoppable right now.

Camilo Duran – 8

A £6million bargain in the making. Duran prefers to play through the middle, yet he’s been devastating from the right. He pounced in the box just minutes after Trusty’s opener to notch his first Celtic goal, reacting quickest to a loose ball that appeared to brush Hogh’s hand on its way through. His work rate is relentless, his pressing constant. A real find.

Kasper Hogh – 7

No repeat of last week’s stunning first-half hat-trick at Kilmarnock, but Hogh still tormented United’s defence. The Dane ran, harried, held the ball up and linked play, playing a key part in two goals. He was hauled down in the build-up to Duran’s strike and later provided the platform for Nygren to set up Tounekti. Even without scoring, he hurt the hosts.

Sebastian Tounekti – 8

A different player from the one who drifted through last season. Given a start with Yang absent, the Tunisian winger tore into United and didn’t let up. His goal was a beauty: a rapid counter, defenders twisted inside out, then a precise finish threaded through two bodies into the bottom corner. He later returned the favour by feeding Nygren for Celtic’s fourth. Electric, direct, and finally delivering on his promise.

Subs

• Mika Baur – 5
  Lively and inventive in a short cameo, the German midfielder looks tailor-made to step into the space likely to be vacated by Reo Hatate. Energetic, always on the move, eager to get on the ball.
• Dane Murray – 4
  Another steady outing for the academy centre-back. Replaced Trusty and slotted in without fuss, maintaining the defensive control.
• Luke McCowan – 4
  On the scoresheet from the bench at Rugby Park last week, the former Dundee man was sent on again, this time for standout Nygren. Couldn’t repeat the goal, but offered fresh legs and familiarity with the surroundings.
• James Forrest – 4
  On for Hogh, allowing Duran to shift into his preferred central role. The veteran winger kept things tidy and used his experience to help see the game out.
• Haissem Hassan – 3
  A rousing welcome for the Egyptian wide man, even if the minutes were few and the rust was obvious after a quiet pre-season. The crowd reaction hinted at what they expect from him once he’s up to speed.

Four goals scored, none conceded, key men rested, fringe players firing. If this is Celtic easing into the season, what happens when they hit full stride in Europe this week?