Dundee Utd 0
Celtic 2
League (Premiership)

Manager's Programme Notes

As we come to the business end of the season we are in the middle of a very testing and crucial period. Having played Aberdeen last week we are about to face both members of the Old Firm. And we go into today's game with Celtic in a good run of form having lost only once in our last eleven outings. In our last home game with Inverness Caley Thistle our play lacked its usual fluency although there is no doubt we can play better. Even then I think we were worth our two goal lead, although when they pulled one back out of the blue we were a bit nervy but held on with a degree of cpmfort. However, there was no questioning the work rate of the players, which ultimately earned us three important points. It was one of those games where the result was better than the performance as above all else it is important that we keep winning at home. Clearly last Saturday's game at Aberdeen was going to be a very difficult fixture, particularly as Nadir Ciftci and young Andrew Robertson were both suspended. However it proved to be a cracking game which we started very well but over the 90 minutes I have to concede a draw was a fair result. After Pates terrific opener we had chances to add a second or third goal but unfortunately this didn't happen. To be fair, the longer the half went on the more Aberdeen came into it and they were better than us for most of the second half. When you've got a goal cushion, you always seem to get deeper and deeper and we paid the price for that. Once again though I must complement all of our fans who travelled north in numbers and were vociferous in their backing. But home or away that has been the case all season and long may that continue.

In welcoming Celtic I must first of all congratulate them on winning the title. To be crowned champions so early is a great achievement. In the aftermath of a terrific performance at Firhill when they clinched the title they fell a bit flat last week when being held at home by Ross County. However Neil Lennon has stated that he wants to win all of their remaining games to establish a record points total. I wouldn't suggest that last week's result has given us encouragement but rather take confidence from our own two performances against them this season. When they were here way back at the start of the season we lost a tight game because of a very late goal and were only denied victory at Parkhead because of a stoppage time equaliser. However, we all know that if we are to go one better this afternoon, all the players must be at the top of their game to get a result to set us up nicely for next weeks Scottish Cup semi-final with Rangers.