Celtic 3-2 Dundee: Giorgos Giakoumakis hat-trick sends hosts three points clear

Celtic edged three points clear of Rangers at the Scottish Premiership summit after Giorgos Giakoumakis' hat-trick earned a dramatic late win over bottom club Dundee.

The hosts took advantage of Rangers' 1-1 draw with Dundee United, but trailed to Danny Mullen's sharp early shot.

Giakoumakis bagged a quickfire double to turn the tables in Mark McGhee's first game as Dundee manager.

Ryan Sweeney levelled, but Giakoumakis pounced late to snatch a huge win.

Tensions rose inside Celtic Park as the hosts bludgeoned the stubborn and well-organised basement dwellers, until Giakoumakis landed a massive blow in the title race.

Dundee remain two points adrift of St Johnstone at the foot of the table.

Giakoumakis has been maligned a little since fetching up at Celtic, not helped by the continued absence of the electric Kyogo Furuhashi. He has spurned big opportunities, fluffed a penalty and been frustrated in front of goal, scoring four in 17 games, but his industry cannot be questioned.

The powerful Greek is a workhorse and a relentless nuisance. He gets himself in tantalising positions over and over. His desire to get on the end of things never wanes no matter how wayward his finishing can be.

For a long time, it looked like it might be another troublesome day for Giakoumakis, who sclaffed an early shot wide from a smart Callum McGregor cutback. Celtic, in general, were laboured.

McGhee had bristled with indignation in his pre-match interview when it was put to him that some Dundee fans are underwhelmed by his appointment. In the early throes, his team did not so much park the bus as bring a fleet of double-deckers to Glasgow. And it worked.

Celtic have struggled against teams who sit in and hoover up space while dynamiting those who