Jim Goodwin was thrilled to give Dundee United fans a festive reason to cheer, while also quieting his Celtic-supporting family and friends who had gathered in the away end at Tannadice.
The goalless draw against the reigning champions solidifies Dundee United’s hold on fifth place and marks their second draw against Old Firm opposition this season.
Goodwin, however, dismissed any notion that Celtic’s injury issues, including absences like Nicolas Kuhn and Cameron Carter-Vickers, could serve as an excuse for their failure to score.
Goodwin, who began his playing career at Celtic two decades ago, said: “Look, there were probably far too many people I know sitting in the opposition end today. I’m just relieved my phone won’t be buzzing with texts from them taking digs because they managed to hammer us.”
“The pleasing thing for us is that we can go and enjoy Christmas now, off the back of a really positive result. The supporters were outstanding again today, great numbers here to get behind the team and hopefully they can enjoy their Christmas as well.
“The strength and depth that Celtic have got, it’s quite remarkable in terms of the like-for-like changes that they can make. I know guys in the media and pundits and that will talk about the players that Celtic were missing, and we’ll talk about the conditions.
“No doubt those two things possibly played a part, but we’re missing players of our own. We had to play in the same conditions as they did today. I think our players deserve a huge amount of credit for what they put into it.”
Goodwin admitted the six added minutes felt like a lifetime as Jack Walton denied Arne Engels and United were forced to defend their box. But he said: “They’re champions for a reason. They keep going right until the final whistle. I was disappointed to see six minutes going up at the end.
“It felt like an eternity trying to get through that particular period. Obviously, the changes that Brendan is making as well, real quality players in Palma and Engels and Bernardo and Idah going on to support Kyogo at the top end.
“You’ve just got to really compliment the players for their concentration levels throughout, because there was a lot of cramp setting in, a lot of fatigue. They put their bodies on the line.
“There was a couple of goalmouth scrambles at the end. We did actually have a couple of half chances ourselves in that second half as well, so we could have possibly nicked a 1-0 win.
“I’m not saying it would have been justified, but had the break of the ball fallen a little bit kinder to us in and around the Celtic goal, then you just never know. But we would have taken this before the game.”
