What does Celtic's latest loss mean for Scottish Premiership title race?

ByAndrew Petrie

BBC Sport Scotland

Perhaps Celtic losing to Dundee United shouldn't have been that surprising.

After all, there's only been one weekend in this astonishing Scottish Premiership season in which the top three have all taken three points.

And given Hearts and Rangers both won on Saturday...

When people tell you this title race has had plenty of twists and turns, they aren't underselling it.

This time last week, Celtic were made the bookmakers' favourites to win the title after Hearts slipped up. Now, they trail the Tynecastle club by five points with seven games to go.

Might this latest setback for Martin O'Neill and his team prove terminal?

No side has ever won the Scottish top flight with as many as eight defeats. And Celtic's tally of losses is now more than Hearts (five) and Rangers (two) combined.

They are 17 points worse off than this point last season, with a goal difference of 22 as compared to 72.

The fall-off has been remarkable, but can they really be ruled out when they're only five points behind?

Celtic have put in similar performances this season to the one they delivered at Tannadice, but come away with three points. Think of the late wins at Kilmarnock and Livingston, or the narrow victory at Falkirk.

But against United, they looked beach-bound on a pitch that had more sand than grass.

The hosts created more, had more quality in the final third, and carried more of a threat. Celtic's front three struggled all game.

"They couldn't create anything," said former Parkhead goalkeeper Pat Bonner. "They've no striker that can turn a game when they're not playing well.

"I've seen it in the past, many a good striker that hasn't offered anything in a game but they have that ability to get you a goal when you were struggling.

"That doesn't seem to be there at the moment."

Kelechi Iheanacho made his first start in the league since October, having had just one substitute appearance and a 35-minute League Cup final cameo in the interim.

Tomas Cvancara, who has started five league games since arriving in January, was ill. Junior Adamu, another winter addition, has started twice and been substituted at half-time in both.

"They look fragile," Bonner said of his former club. "Celtic are really under pressure now. The question will be from many now, is that their championship gone?"

Martin O'Neill had never lost in 20 previous matches against United before this. Another stat blown out of the water.

There's plenty more to throw up. United hadn't beaten Celtic by more than a single goal since 1990.

And Celtic's 34 goals conceded is their worst ever in a Premiership season, and there's seven games left.

"Of course, it's a concern," O'Neill told BBC Sport Scotland. "It's a big blow to us. We're beaten and, with games running out, we can't really afford to do that, but we're still in it.

"It's been difficult since I've set foot in the place both times [this season]. Today is a blow but we're not finished yet."

But O'Neill has arguably never faced a task of this magnitude.

Celtic haven't lost eight games in a season since the 1999-00 campaign. They've scored only 56 goals so far, their lowest return at this stage since 1994-95.

Add to that the fact they have only led the league for one week of a campaign that is now 31 games old.

Celtic visit Dens Park in two weeks' time - a ground they lost at earlier this season when Dundee were in disarray and Brendan Rodgers was still in charge.

After that, they host St Mirren. They've squeezed past the Paisley side 1-0 twice this season in the league, but the League Cup final loss at Hampden will haunt them.

Rangers, meanwhile, host United at Ibrox before a trip to Falkirk. As for the league leaders, Hearts travel to Livingston, then host Motherwell.

It's impossible to say who has the easier games, given the unpredictable nature of this campaign. You'd have better luck picking the lottery numbers.

But Celtic must address the worrisome performances they're now producing. There were plenty that foreshadowed the disastrous defeat at Tannadice, and they can't afford another.

"Sometimes you just have to eat humble pie," is how captain Callum McGregor summed it up in the post-match.

On the evidence of this game, Celtic don't have the appetite to challenge their rivals.