Celtic 1-0 Dundee United: Late Liel Abada goal narrows gap on leaders Rangers to two points

Celtic narrowed the gap on Premiership leaders Rangers to two points through Liel Abada's late goal against Dundee United despite being reduced to 10 men.

Rangers' earlier draw away to Ross County handed Ange Postecoglou's side the opportunity to pile on pressure before Wednesday's Old Firm derby.

Goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist denied the home side with a series of saves before Nir Bitton's 81st-minute red card.

But Abada fired home from close range as the game entered added time.

Until then, it looked as if United were about to do enough to leave Celtic Park with their second draw of the season.

Instead, Postecoglou's side remain unbeaten in 13 games, winning 12 of them, and United are left without a win at Celtic Park in 46 meetings since December 1992.

Considering they were looking to pay a winning tribute to title-winning former manager Wim Jansen, who died this week, and had just heard Rangers had dropped a couple of points in Dingwall, Celtic's first-half performance was strangely subdued.

Adrian Sporle's start at left wing-back was one of five changes made by United head coach Thomas Courts and the Argentine flashed an early warning shot across the face of the Celtic goal.

However, Celtic were as dominant in possession as expected but found the United rearguard — including a place for 18-year-old Lewis Neilson because of injuries — stubborn and brave in their denial of a breakthrough.

When the home side did manage a sight of goal, Siegrist was in typically obstinate form and saves from Abada and Matt O'Riley came before the latter squandered a great chance when the unmarked recent signing from MK Dons fired wide from 12 yards.

Postecoglou was probably hoping to give Jota and Josip Juranovic a rest before the midweek derby,