THE gloom hanging over Celtic following the goal-less draw against Dundee United could be somewhat lifted today in the most bizarre circumstances.

Should Gretna, as widely predicted, fail to satisfy the administrators and cease to trade, the subsequent cancellation of their results for this season will mean the point gained at Parkhead last night is enough to take Celtic level with Rangers at the top of the Spl, as the Ibrox club have played Gretna once more than Celtic.

However, it would do nothing to alter the fact that, unless Gordon Strachan's side regain the winning thread and their goal touch quickly, their grip on the title they have held for the past two years will yield.

ONE BY ONE BORUC Quiet night for the big Pole. HINKEL Decent shift. His positional sense is questionable at times. CALDWELL Handled Mark De Vries well. Won his fair share of headers and didn't allow the powerful striker space. McMANUS Gave it his all. Like the rest of the defence he wasn't under much pressure and went close at two set-pieces. NAYLOR Final ball could have been better. Worked hard to get up and down the park. NAKAMURA Went agonisingly close with a second-half free-kick and hit post but must do more. As one of the most creative players, he needs to deliver. BROWN Picked up another needless booking as frustration got to him. Capable of much better. SNO The Dutch midfielder failed to grasp opportunity to shine. Looks clumsy on the ball and was replaced by Barry Robson. McGEADY Picked up the man-of-the-match award from fans but it didn't quite come off for the winger. Tried to make something happen and took responsibility. SAMARAS Not his best match but at least he looked more dangerous than other strikers. For reasons known only to himself Strachan hooked him for Vennegoor. McDONALD A bad night at the office for the little Aussie. Was marked out the game. SUBS Robson tried to make things happen but passing not good enough. Vennegoor had a late chance to win the game but headed over the bar. FANS Got behind team to urge them on. STRACHAN Won't be flavour of the month with the fans. Decisions not to play Paul Hartley and taking off Samaras questionable.

Defeat in Barcelona was followed by a Scottish Cup draw at Aberdeen, and now a stalemate in the league against the Terrors: Three matches, three competitions, only one goal scored.

Admittedly, there were enough chances carved out - against a United side missing at least four of the players who will start in Sunday's CIS League Cup Final against Rangers - to win a handful of matches.

But the bottom line is that while Polish keeper Lukasz Zaluska was kept busy at Parkhead, he was never required to perform heroics.

The towering defence in front of him saw to that, frustrating Celtic's much-vaunted strike force at every turn.

Between them, Scott McDonald, Georgios Samaras - given his chance to show what he can do from the start - and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, who replaced the Greek for the final half hour, have banged in 43 goals this season.

Amid the frustration of this match, they never looked like adding to that tally, which must be a worry for manager Strachan. He has spent so much time and energy this season rectifying the defensive shortcomings of the side that to now discover that they are misfiring up front just as the final shoot-out for prizes comes into focus, can only be filed under bad timing to the nth degree.

United were lucky in the first half when first Shunsuke Nakamura then McDonald hit the post. But it was Vennegoor who had the best chance to secure Celtic's 10th league win in a row - a run that started against United at Tannadice on Boxing Day - only to bullet a header over the bar.

With just five minutes left, there is little doubt it would and should have been a winner.

But for once the great, late escape which has been the copyright of the club under Strachan's stewardship did not materialise.

McDonald was also profligate, and the hope among all Celtic supporters will be that, unlike Samson, his power has not been shorn along with his locks.

The service to the front men became more fractious as the game wore on, anxiety levels rising as skill levels dropped.

Strachan was pleading for composure, especially from that saviour so many times this season, Aiden McGeady. But, well-policed by United debut man Michael Kovacevic, the Player of the Month looked as though he was wearing someone else's feet - and a far less-talented individual's, at that.

Of course, any side can have an off night. But can Celtic afford to have one at this stage of the squeaky-tight run-in? The answer to that will not be known until the final tally of points in May.

However, having matched Rangers for wins since before Christmas, now is certainly not the time to lose the consistency which has allowed them to keep up with their championship challengers.

Strachan firmly believes his players are fit enough to last the course, and he can freshen things up, as he did last night by starting Samaras and Evander Sno while Vennegoor and Paul Hartley dropped to the bench.

But even when the engine room was given an overhaul, Barry Robson replacing Sno as a partner for Scott Brown early in the second half, it failed to fire on all cylinders.

Not even a crowd small in number but big on support could oil the wheels of the Green Machine, and it all ground to an inevitable disappointment.

Too much of what they tried to do was forced, little flowed naturally. Too many wrong decisions were made, and clear thinking was at a premium.

Normal service will have to be resumed by the time Celtic roll up at Motherwell on Saturday, or else the dream of a third consecutive championship will be consigned to the same rubbish bin as Gretna's results.

CELTIC: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, S Brown, Sno (Robson 62), McGeady, Samaras (Vennegoor 62), McDonald. Subs not used: M Brown, O'Dea, Hartley, Donati, Riordan. Booked: S Brown.

DUNDEE UNITED: Zaluska, Kovacevic, Wilkie, Kenneth, Kerr, Grainger, O'Brien, Robertson (Flood 75), Bauben, Conway (Daly 84), De Vries (Hunt 77). Subs not used: McLean, Dillan, Dods, Swanson. Booked: Kenneth, Wilkie.

Att: 45,000.

Referee: M McCurry.

NEED TO KNOW

CELTIC......0 DUNDEE UNITED......0

Was it a good game? Tension helped create a good atmosphere, but the quality was not the highest.

Who was Celtic's top player? Gary Caldwell kept it tight at the back and did all he could to drive his team forward.

And United's star performer? Michael Kovaevic came onto a game which denied McGeady the chance to shine.

What about the ref? Never a Celtic fans' favourite, Mike McCurry did little to alter that when ignoring McDonald's tumble in the box and not red-carding Kovaevic for his last-man foul on Samaras. But he also failed to award United a penalty when Robson blocked a de Vries shot with his hand.

Who's up next? It's Motherwell at Fir Park on Saturday.

Talking point

Should the ref have sent off Kovacevic when he pulled down Samaras as he burst through on the hour mark?