Jim Goodwin has underlined the onerous task facing Dundee United on Sunday as he highlighted the “obscene” attacking threat posed by Celtic.
The Hoops, fresh from winning this season’s first piece of silverware in last weekend’s contentious Premier Sports Cup final against Rangers, are yet to taste defeat in the Premiership.
Brendan Rodgers’ men lead second-placed Aberdeen by nine points despite playing a game fewer than the Dons, have scored 40 goals in the league and conceded just four times.
Adding to a cavalcade of ominous omens, United have failed to beat Celtic in their last 19 meetings; a record stretching back exactly a decade to December 2014.
However, Goodwin will embrace the challenge of halting the Hoops’ momentum, even if he knows it will take an almighty effort.
“We know we’ve got a big task on our hands on Sunday,” said Goodwin. “Nobody has managed to beat Celtic in the league yet.
“They’ve only dropped two points all season, only conceded four goals and scored an obscene number of goals. Hopefully we can come up with a plan, a system and personnel that can cause an upset.”
How to stop Celtic attack?
Asked what United must do to tame the attacking threat of a side averaging 2.93 goals a game in the Premiership, he continued: “That’s what everybody’s trying to figure out! Rangers included.
“Aberdeen held them to a draw at Parkhead, but the chances that Celtic missed in the first half probably didn’t put the game to bed.
“They’ve got so many good quality players. You can put your attention on one player and then another player finds space and causes you problems. It’s as tough a game as it comes.
“We’re hoping to deny them space and have a good defensive shape. We can’t make the same mistakes we made last Saturday (4-3 defeat at Motherwell), or we’ll get punished.”
Goodwin: We have to believe
However, Goodwin has warned that simply parking the bus is unlikely to bear fruit, insisting that United – who boast the league’s top scorer in Sam Dalby – must also pose an attacking threat.
“We’ve got to try and come up with an offensive plan to cause them one or two problems,” Goodwin added.
“It’s trying to get the balance right when you’re playing against such a good opponent; you can’t leave yourself wide open and get punished because of the space, but you’ve also got to try and impose yourself.
“That’s the task that lies ahead. Every team has tried it so far and nobody’s been successful – but we have to believe that we’re capable of doing it.”
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