Celtic dropped points for only the second time this season and missed the chance to move 11 clear of second-placed Rangers in a goalless draw at Dundee United.
In his first game in Tannadice as Chief of Hoops, Brendan Rodgers saw his very changed dominated property and has only 3 shots in the goal, the most under this season, opposed to a defense of the resolved house.
It was the first time they had lost since the 2-2 draw with Aberdeen in October and meant Celtic finished the day nine points clear of Rangers at the top of the table.
Celtic remain unbeaten domestically this season and still hold a healthy advantage at the top as they prepare for home games against Motherwell and St Johnstone before the Old Firm clash against Rangers at Ibrox on January 2.
Rodgers announced the changes after the exhausting final victory of the Premier Sports Cup over the Light Blues last weekend and Anthony Ralston, Stephen Welsh, Liam Scales, Luke McCowan and Hyun-Jun Yang arrived.
Paulo Bernardo among the substitutes, but there is no sign of Nicolas Kuhn, the injured Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers or Auston Trusty, the latter two declared in poor health by Rodgers before the game.
United showed three changes, with Will Ferry, Kai Fotheringham and Miller Thomson reinstated, while the league’s top-scorer Sam Dalby, with eight goals in nine games, led the line.
The Wrexham loanee and his team-mates had to do the chasing as Celtic inevitably took control of the ball.
In the tenth minute, Hoop forward Daizen Maeda set up midfielder Reo Hatate with a clever film, but his low 16-yard run hit the post.
Former Dundee star McCowan then tried his own with a 25-yard shot that whistled past United goalkeeper Jack Walton’s left-hand post.
Before the break they followed more efforts from the Hoops Kyogo Furuhashi, McCowan and Hatate striker, and the terrors seemed to have little risk while the visitors diligently denied.
United had an early intelligent possibility at the time when Thomson broke the left, supported through Dalthrough, however, his weak shot met the underemployed goalkeeper of Celtic Kasper Schmeichel.
The Parkhead team remained dominant but struggled to get Tangerine’s well-organised and packed defence.
Rodgers acted on the hour mark and Adam Idah and Luis Palma replaced Yang and McCowan and moments later Idah came close with a low drive.
On a rare United attack, back-tracking Kyogo was caught on the ball by Glenn Middleton inside the box, but his shot on the stretch was easily saved by Schmeichel.
Celtic went back on the attack. Walton tipped a header from Maeda over the bar in the 78th minute but United, with Jort van der Sande on for Thomson, defended the corner before the United keeper thwarted Kyogo moments later after a great touch by Idah.
The visitors accumulated pressure and Walton blocked the diversity of another replacement for Celtic, Arne Engels, before the hoops survived a wheelbarrow in the mouth of the goal while United was looking for a late winner, but none of the games could achieve the progress in six . Additional time minutes.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports:
“We got to all the spaces we were looking for and we were there often, but we didn’t work enough with the goalkeeper.
“We had so many opportunities while we were there and we never reached the goal.
“We passed it well through and connected the game, and the ‘keeper made a really good save at the end
“Difficult conditions with the wind and everything, but it just looked like we couldn’t score.”
Dundee United Jim Goodwin told Sky Sports:
“We talked before the game about the importance of the field and concentration and the players executed the game plan and possession perfectly.
“We would have liked to have been able to offer a little more play up front, but we have to respect the opponent. Celtic is a team with real quality.
“I deserve a lot of credit for what they put into this game. Celtic have won their last 8 away league games. “