James Forrest hit a double on his first start for five months as Celtic maintained their lead at the top of the cinch Premiership with a 2-1 victory at Dundee.
Forrest was drafted in for only his fourth start of the season after coming off the bench to net in last weekend’s Scottish Cup semi-final win over Aberdeen.
Such was Forrest’s influence at Hampden that manager Brendan Rodgers admitted he might have underused the 32-year-old this season.
And his feeling could only have grown as the winger stole the show at Dens Park to take his season tally to six goals.
Forrest volleyed home a powerful strike from 18 yards on the half-hour mark and started and finished the move that doubled the lead midway through the second half.
The victory swiftly restored Celtic’s three-point lead following Rangers’ 2-1 win at St Mirren in the early kick-off, although their goal difference advantage stayed at five after substitute Adam Idah sliced the ball into his own net as he tried to clear Antonio Portales’ shot.
Celtic had scored 26 goals in their previous six meetings with Dundee, half of the tally coming this season, but the champions would have been satisfied to maintain the status quo at the top of the table after some late pressure, during which visiting goalkeeper Joe Hart was booked for time-wasting.
Forrest was involved from the opening moments, working room to shoot wide from long range, and Nicolas Kuhn was also cutting in to good effect from the right wing, forcing two saves from Jon McCracken.
James Forrest with our winner 🤩#DUNCEL | #cinchPrem | #COYBIG🍀pic.twitter.com/Z3vA5Ovdvp
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) April 28, 2024
The Dundee goalkeeper pulled off a better stop from Greg Taylor’s close-range header after Liam Scales had headed on a corner.
Reo Hatate then stabbed wide from close range after brilliant wing play from Forrest.
Dundee had a brief spell of attacking play and Amadou Bakayoko could not react quickly enough to make the most of Owen Dodgson’s cross, the ball trundling into Hart’s hands off his foot.
Celtic got back on top and Forrest produced his moment of magic. The Scotland international showed brilliant technique to fire a shot into the corner of the net as it sat up following Kyogo Furuhashi’s touch on the edge of the box. McCracken did not have time to move.
However, the champions did not build on their lead. Hart held long-range efforts from stand-in Dundee captain Luke McCowan and Bakayoko before the break and the home side put Celtic under pressure with some balls into the box after the interval.
Dodgson’s corners were causing particular concern for the Celtic defence and Mo Sylla headed just wide before Hart saved Jordan McGhee’s header.
The visitors settled the game down and Forrest drilled the ball through McCracken’s legs with his left foot after dispossessing Portales, taking a return pass from Hatate and riding challenges from two Dundee defenders.
Forrest had been substituted by the time Dundee pulled a goal back in the 74th minute. Portales volleyed a second shot towards goal following Dodgson’s corner and substitute Idah made a mess of his clearance on the six-yard line.
With Celtic skipper Callum McGregor also substituted, the goal set up a nervy finish for the travelling fans but Dundee’s hopes ended when substitute Michael Mellon headed wide from a deep free-kick in stoppage-time.
Arsenal opened a “box of dreams” by defeating Manchester United to take the Premier League title race to the final day of the season, according to a relieved Mikel Arteta.Leandro Trossard’s 20th-minute goal proved enough for a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford but there were several nervy moments for the Gunners in the second half in particular.The result moved Arsenal back above Manch...
Marc Skinner is keen to stay on as Manchester United manager as he saluted his “history-makers” after a 4-0 win over Tottenham in the Women’s FA Cup final clinched the club’s first major trophy.United finished runners-up in this competition to Chelsea at Wembley last year but showed their class and experience against first-time finalists Spurs.Ella Toone gave United a deser...
Nick Montgomery pleaded for “patience” as pressure mounted on the Hibernian manager after his faltering side slipped to ninth in the cinch Premiership with a crushing 4-0 defeat at home to resurgent Aberdeen.The 42-year-old came under heavy fire as the Easter Road support – already exasperated by failure to make the top six last month – watched their team succumb to goals f...
Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League as Leandro Trossard’s goal proved enough to inflict further misery on Manchester United.Manchester City temporarily usurped the Gunners with their win at Fulham on Saturday lunchtime, meaning Mikel Arteta’s men could ill afford any kind of slip up at Old Trafford.United made Arsenal sweat more than most predicted on Sunday, when Trossar...
Russell Martin feels Southampton have another gear to find at St Mary’s after his side drew 0-0 at West Brom in a cagey Championship play-off semi-final first leg.Both teams were indebted to their goalkeepers for keeping the game level as Alex Palmer made an excellent reaction save with his feet to keep out Saints substitute Ross Stewart’s deflected effort and Alex McCarthy also made f...
Pressure mounted on beleaguered Hibernian boss Nick Montgomery as his side slipped to ninth in the cinch Premiership following a limp 4-0 defeat at home to resurgent Aberdeen.Leighton Clarkson, Dante Polvara, Bojan Miovski and 16-year-old debutant Fletcher Boyd were all on target as the Dons made it seven league games in a row unbeaten and three victories on the spin since the cinch Premiership sp...
Let's start our 7M Daily Laugh today. City asking United for a favor "Do do do do do......SALIBA!"(MOM) Garnacho today Man Utd 0-1 Arsenal (1st) Life emmmm... Different Generations but Same Old Real Madrid.. Please stay tuned on 7M Daily Laugh. There will be more fun tomorrow!(Credit: Justtoonit, BleacherReportFootball, originaltrollfootball, AZRorganization)...
Anthony Martial is set to leave Manchester United in the summer after again failing to make the matchday squad against Arsenal.WHAT HAPPENED?Martial, who underwent groin surgery in January, is yet to recover fully and did not make United's matchday squad against Arsenal on Sunday at Old Trafford. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Frenchman's time at Old Trafford is up as he is all set to leave the...
Erik ten Hag is prepared to resign as Manchester United manager.Ten Hag is under pressure to keep his job at United, despite guiding the club to the FA Cup final.But the Daily Mail says Ten Hag could decide to walk rather than wait to be pushed.With former club Ajax waiting for him with open arms, it's suggested Ten Hag may "choose to walk" if he discovers he has limited control over ongoings in t...
Serie A giants AC Milan have been linked with a move for Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino as they look to replace Stefano Pioli.WHAT HAPPENED?The Rossoneri are all set to part ways with their current manager Stefano Pioli as the Italian will leave San Siro after four and a half years at the end of the current season. The club have already begun their search for their next head coach and have be...
- 1 Jude Bellingham hails Real Madrid’s desire to seal Champions League final berth
- 2 Marc Skinner wants to stay at Manchester United after ‘historic’ FA Cup win
- 3 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 4 Man Utd fans stunned after seeing what Antony just got tattooed on his body
- 5 Mbappe bids farewell to everyone at PSG... except the most important person
- 6 Madelene Wright returns to football four years after she was sacked
- 7 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 8 Former Premier League Wag goes braless in daring backless dress
- 9 Danilo Orsi nets hat-trick as Crawley thrash MK Dons to reach play-off final
- 10 Man Utd eyeing Fulham CB Adarabioyo