Ange Postecolgou reacts to 'emotional' Celtic fans as frustration turns to relief with late win over Dundee United

Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou believes the manic outpouring that following Liel Abada’s last-gasp winner over Dundee United was fully justified - but that his team cannot play on those emotions.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou at full time after the 1-0 win over Dundee United. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

And for the Australian that extends to getting carried away at the prospect of going top of the cinch Premiership against Rangers on Wednesday - that scenario now possible as a result of the Ibrox side drawing away to Ross County to allow Celtic’s late show at the close of a frustating afternoon to put them within two points of their title rivals.

"The fans are entitled to be emotional,” he said of the club’s second win of the season when reduced to 10 men, captain Nir Bitton red-carded for a second bookable offence in the 82nd minute. “They knew if we won today, we closed the gap at the top of the league. It would have been easy for them to get frustrated but I felt the energy from them was good.

"We are just going to be a team that tries to win games of football, irrespective of the circumstances - whether we are down to 10 men, whether we are home or away, whether playing in Europe or in a cup, our intent is to go and win games of football. It was probably just a continuation of the spirit and the willingness of the players to find a way. It wasn’t a great day for us, especially first half when we didn’t have the intensity and tempo in our football to put them consistently under pressure.

“Having said that we created enough chances but when the ball is not going in and the keeper is pulling off some outstanding saves you just hope the players maintain their composure.

“We then got the red card….But the consistent theme over the last three or four months is that the players find a way and they did that again today.

"[The chance to go top on Wednesday night] won't mean anything significant because that's not the end game. You don't get a trophy for being first in February. Our goal and mission is to be there at the end. It's not that it's an insignificant moment, it's just that we have to keep going.

"It's not like when you are in first place that we will get an advantage over teams and it will be easy for us. It's going to be a battle every day. If we somehow think getting to first place is an achievement or we get comfortable or get some sort of an advantage…

"We have just have to be relentless, playing our style of football as well as we can and keep getting better and individuals keep getting better. The new players are beginning to understand that the expectations are there all the time, they don't ease, playing a couple of good games doesn't give you any latitude against any opposition not to perform again. The players have embraced that, so Wednesday night our intent is to come here and play better than we did today, win the game, but then dust ourselves off and go again.”

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