Dundee United boss Fox slams "unacceptable" aspect of Celtic defeat

By Dave Flanigan

November 6, 2022

Dundee United manager Liam Fox has rued his side’s defending for Celtic’s dramatic winner in yesterday’s 4-2 Scottish Premiership defeat at Celtic Park.

The Tangerines thought they had escaped with a priceless point after Dylan Levitt’s 87th minute cross from Celtic’s right evaded everyone to nestle inside Joe Hart’s left hand post, but the Scottish champions roared back to score twice in injury time.

Though Fox was pleased with his side’s application, he was damning in his assessment of United’s defending for Kyogo Furuhashi’s winner barely two minutes after Levitt’s equaliser.

As reported by The Courier, he said: “I’m frustrated for the players more than anything else.

“They put so much into the game. We all know how difficult it is to get anything from Celtic Park.

“So, to get ourselves into a position of being within minutes of doing that, and switch off at a set-piece is really frustrating.

Celtic’s winner was the sole focus of Fox’s ire, given the Hoops propensity for scoring set piece goals this season.

“The fourth goal is irrelevant. It’s the third that kills us. The manner of the third goal is not good enough from us, especially so late in the game,” he said.

“We knew that there would be an onslaught in the final minutes and to switch off at a set-piece is unacceptable.”

“It is something we worked on during the week and that probably makes it even more frustrating. I understand that when you make subs, there is an element of change to the set-ups. But we need people to take responsibility and step up at those moments.”

Fox’s misery was compounded by the fact that Ross County came from behind for a 3-2 victory over St Mirren in just their third league win of the season, leaving United three points adrift on the foot of the table.

With a home game against Kilmarnock next for the Terrors, they’ll be keen to put yesterday behind them and aim to try and haul themselves off the foot of the table before the World Cup break.

For Celtic, it’s yet another example of their terrific mindset and approach that they were able to once again score late to secure what could be a monumental three points come the end of the season.

In other news: “Simple as that”; Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou’s damning indictment of Scottish FA approach