Celtic celebrated their fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title in sensational style, dismantling Dundee United 5-0 on Saturday afternoon at Tannadice Park. The emphatic win underlined their dominance in Scottish football and ensured the title celebrations started in thrilling fashion.
The rout began early when Dundee United�s Ryan Strain inadvertently steered the ball into his own net, giving Celtic a perfect platform to take control of the match. The Hoops never looked back, with Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah both scoring twice, ruthlessly exposing Dundee United�s vulnerabilities and securing the Glasgow club�s 13th league title in the past 14 seasons.
Coming into the match, Celtic needed just a single point to confirm their status as champions, but Brendan Rodgers� side went far beyond the minimum requirement, producing a performance that typified their relentless standards throughout the campaign. With four league fixtures still remaining, Celtic now sit 18 points clear of their city rivals Rangers, who, even with five games left, cannot overhaul the gap.
The victory not only secured the league title but also reinforced Celtic�s near-total dominance of Scottish domestic football. Incredibly, the Hoops have now won 21 of the last 26 major domestic trophies on offer. Under Rodgers, Celtic�s supremacy has continued to flourish, and the latest title win adds another chapter to an extraordinary era.
This triumph mirrored the scenes of a year ago when Rodgers led Celtic to the title with a 5-0 win over Kilmarnock, his first championship in his second spell at the club. Now, with 11 major trophies amassed across his time in charge at Parkhead, Rodgers has firmly cemented his place among the club�s legendary managers.
The title success keeps alive Celtic�s dreams of securing a domestic treble for the sixth time in nine seasons � and what would be Rodgers� third treble as manager. The Hoops will now turn their attention to completing that feat when they face Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final in May.
There was an additional piece of history made at Tannadice, as veteran winger James Forrest, who came off the bench during the match, collected his 26th winners� medal � surpassing the tally of Bobby Lennox, one of the famed �Lisbon Lions� who won the European Cup in 1967. Forrest�s longevity and success have seen him etch his name even deeper into the club�s storied history.
Speaking after the match, Celtic captain Callum McGregor could hardly contain his pride.
�Amazing performance, outstanding. It means the world to us,� McGregor said. �The sky is the limit for this group. We were so good today. Now, we have four more league games to fine-tune ourselves and carry the momentum into the Scottish Cup final. If we continue like this, we have a real chance to do something very special this season.�
The celebrations were briefly halted during the second half when a group of visiting fans threw dozens of tangerines onto the pitch � a nod to Dundee United�s traditional nickname and colors � in protest over steep ticket prices, with some fans reportedly paying as much as �42 ($56) for admission. Despite the short disruption, it did little to dampen the party atmosphere among the Celtic faithful.
In truth, Celtic�s march to the title had seemed inevitable for months. Rangers had stumbled early in the campaign, and Aberdeen, who had initially kept pace by matching Celtic�s 31 points from the opening 11 games, suffered a dramatic collapse soon afterward. Even when Celtic suffered their first league defeat of the season against Rangers on January 2, they maintained a 13-point lead � making a genuine title race little more than a fantasy.
Rodgers, known for demanding the highest standards, had recently criticized his players for showing signs of complacency following a shock defeat to bottom club St Johnstone earlier this month. However, the squad responded with a vengeance, hammering five goals past each of their next three opponents and sending a clear message that any slip-ups would not be tolerated.
Beyond domestic dominance, Celtic also made significant strides in Europe this season, reaching the Champions League knockout round playoffs before bowing out narrowly to German giants Bayern Munich. Rodgers is already looking ahead, with ambitions to bolster his squad during the summer transfer window as he aims to further solidify Celtic�s domestic dynasty and make a deeper impression in European competition.
As the final whistle blew at Tannadice, the players, staff, and fans celebrated another memorable chapter in Celtic�s rich history. But if Rodgers and his team have their way, this season�s success may only be the beginning of an even more glittering era at Parkhead.
