Preview: Dundee United vs. Celtic - prediction, team news, lineups

The Bhoys have begun their title defence with four straight league wins, while their hosts have only managed to pick up one point from their four outings thus far.

Match preview

Under the new management of Jack Ross, Dundee United headed into the new season with a Europa Conference League qualifying tie against AZ Alkmaar looming, after last season's fourth-placed finish, but their first game was on the domestic front as they travelled to take on Kilmarnock and drew 1-1.

The Tangerines would then play host to the Dutch outfit in the first leg of their tie and score a surprise 1-0 victory, thanks to Glenn Middleton's goal on the hour mark, before being beaten by the same scoreline at Tannadice Park by Livingston in their second league outing.

Travelling to Alkmaar with a lead to defend, Ross's side were unable to avoid a thrashing, as the game was quickly flipped on its head in the second leg, with their opponents eventually scoring a 7-0 win on the night, having led by five goals at half time courtesy of braces from Vangelis Pavlidis and Tijjani Reijnders and a Hakon Evjen finish.

Able to fully focus on their Premiership campaign after that exit, Dundee United went in search of their first top-flight win away at Hearts but were comfortably beaten 4-1 with Steven Fletcher's penalty nothing more than a consolation, leaving them on just a single point from three league games heading into last weekend's contest at home to St Mirren.

Ross's men were unable to arrest their slump in that match either, falling to a disappointing 3-0 defeat as Curtis Main scored a brace and Alex Greive added a third late on, and they now face another unenviable test against the defending champions in their bid to get off a single point.

After regaining the title from rivals Rangers last season, Celtic headed into their second campaign under the management of Ange Postecoglou hoping to once again triumph in the Scottish Premiership, and they have enjoyed a perfect start thus far.

Having earned guaranteed entry into the Champions League group stage, the Bhoys have been able to focus all their efforts on once again establishing themselves at the summit of the division, and they began with a 2-0 home win over Aberdeen and a hard-fought 3-1 victory away at Ross County, with Moritz Jenz and Liel Abada finding the net in the final 10 minutes of the latter to ensure they took all three points.

Hoping to make it three wins from three games to start the season, the Glasgow outfit then travelled to take on Kilmarnock and were able to dish out a 5-0 thrashing, as Kyogo Furuhashi opened the scoring and Jota and Jenz stretched their lead to three goals in the first half, before Carl Starfelt and Giorgos Giakoumakis capped off a dominant display by hitting the net in the second half.

On the back of that eye-catching performance, Postecoglou's men returned to home turf last weekend against Hearts, who finished third last season, and Celtic were not derailed in arguably their toughest test thus far, having led from the 13th minute through Furuhashi before Giakoumakis wrapped up the points with a second deep into injury time.

Now as the only team with 12 points from the opening four Premiership matches, and with no other side matching their record at either end of the pitch with 12 goals scored and just one conceded, the Bhoys will look to further strengthen their position with a fifth win on the bounce at the weekend.

Dundee United Scottish Premiership form:

Dundee United form (all competitions):

Celtic Scottish Premiership form:

Team News

Jack Ross could again make changes to his Dundee United side for Sunday's contest, given their concerning start, with midfielder Peter Pawlett likely remaining the only enforced absentee through injury.

Steven Fletcher should again lead the line, following his summer arrival from Stoke City, while Tony Watt will look to pose a threat from the wing.

Charlie Mulgrew, who made over 200 appearances for Celtic between 2010 and 2016, can operate in defence or midfield, and he was shifted into the back four last time to accommodate Ian Harkes, Jamie McGrath and former Manchester United youngster Dylan Levitt in the engine room.

Without a busy European qualifying schedule, Postecoglou has little reason to make too many alterations to his Celtic side, although the depth of the squad does leave him with plenty of dilemmas as the likes of Giorgos Giakoumakis, Liel Abada, Reo Hatate and Aaron Mooy are all pushing for starting places.

Key men Kyogo Furuhashi and Jota are bound to keep their places in attack, meaning only the spot of Daizen Maeda may be up for grabs, while Callum McGregor will continue to captain the Bhoys from the centre of the midfield unit with Matt O'Riley and David Turnbull also hoping to keep their places.

Elsewhere, Cameron Carter-Vickers, whose loan move from Tottenham Hotspur was made permanent over the summer, should again partner Moritz Jenz at the heart of the back four in front of Joe Hart, with Josip Juranovic and Greg Taylor having nailed down their full-back spots.

Dundee United possible starting lineup:

Eriksson; Smith, Edwards, Mulgrew, Behich; McGrath, Levitt, Harkes; Watt, Fletcher, Middleton

Celtic possible starting lineup:

Hart; Juranovic, Carter-Vickers, Jenz, Taylor; Hatate, McGregor, Turnbull; Furuhashi, Giakoumakis, Jota

We say: Dundee United 0-3 Celtic

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