How Dundee's reaction to Celtic defeat tells of Scottish champions' dented aura

The Dundee viewpoint on their 3-0 home defeat to Celtic is revealing as to how the Scottish champions’ aura seems to have been eroded by recent domestic defeats to Kilmarnock and Hearts.

DUNDEE, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 26: Dundee's Luke McCowan looks dejected as his side concede during a cinch Premiership match between Dundee and Celtic at the Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park, on December 26, 2023, in Dundee, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

These outcomes left the Tayside club’s midfielder Luke McGowan unwilling to give his team a pass for the Boxing Day battering against an opponent that last lost at Dens Park in 1988. Even as the encounter only turned against Tony Docherty’s men when their resistance was ended by a scruffy 52nd minute opener from Paolo Bernardo. On an afternoon when Celtic had 74 per cent possession, 38 shots on goal, and 23 corners. Figures that added up to failure that caused “hurt” to bring a “sleepless night”, according to the 26-year-old.

“We were a bit raging with ourselves after the game,” said McGowan. “This was the best time to play Celtic, they have lost two, won one and are getting a bit of stick from their fans. So they probably didn’t know whether they were up or down, to be honest. We knew before it if we imprinted ourselves in the game we could have had a chance. But with the way we played, it was like attack v defence for most of it. I don’t think we looked like scoring, to be honest.

“I had my chance and a couple of the other boys had little attacking moments but against a team like Celtic, it’s only a matter of time before you get punished. With the quality they have, you have to be better on the ball. The stats against us must have looked horrific. We are frustrated we didn’t have a bigger imprint. We could feel harshly done by the first goal, because it bobbled about then went through our goalie’s legs. But sometimes that’s the luck they get when they are on top like that. We still should have been better. If we’d come in having given it a go and got beaten, we’d have at least said ‘we gave it a shot’ but I don’t feel we did. I know people will say it was us against the champions and they cost a lot more money than us, but the belief the gaffer gives us is that we can get something from these games. You’d seen it with Celtic the last few weeks.”