Following the Celtic handball controversy, the focus shifts to Dundee United’s display being scrutinized.

Dundee United’s Premier Sports Cup journey came to an abrupt end at the last-16 stage as Jim Goodwin’s side suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against Celtic on Saturday.

Camilo Durán doubles the lead! 🍀

A first goal for @CelticFC‘s new Colombian forward 🇨🇴#PremierSportsCup pic.twitter.com/5Na5lw5rRq

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) August 15, 2026

Auston Trusty, Camilo Duran, Sebastian Tounekti and Benjamin Nygren were all on target for the Scottish champions in a match that produced plenty of talking points, including a controversial handball decision.

Kasper Hogh’s blatant, and crucial, handball. Image: SNS

The result means United have now suffered consecutive 4-0 defeats, having previously lost by the same scoreline against Hearts. They also hit the woodwork five times without finding the net.

With attention now turning towards the Dundee derby, there is plenty for Goodwin to assess.

Celtic’s controversial second goal

The major talking point was undoubtedly Celtic’s second goal, but the central question is perhaps different from what many Dundee United supporters believe.

Should the goal have been ruled out?

Under the current laws, the answer appears to be no.

Kasper Hogh’s arm was involved in the build-up, but the goal was not scored directly by him, nor did he immediately score after the ball touched his arm.

The laws state that an accidental handball can only result in a goal being disallowed when the player responsible subsequently scores directly or immediately benefits by scoring.

Goodwin made his feelings known. Image: SNS

That did not happen here.

Hogh’s arm position was also considered natural given his movement while challenging for the loose ball inside the penalty area. The relevant wording refers to a position that can be justified by the player’s body movement in that particular situation.

Camilo Duran ultimately collected the loose ball and finished the move, meaning the goal was allowed to stand.

Had Hogh himself put the ball into the net immediately after the contact, the referee would have had grounds to disallow it.

Instead, because another Celtic player completed the move, the goal was deemed legal.

Is the handball law the real problem?

While the decision may have been correct according to the regulations, that does not necessarily mean supporters have to agree with the law itself.

This is arguably where the bigger debate begins.

It is understandable that Goodwin felt the common-sense outcome would have been to disallow the goal. From a footballing perspective, Hogh’s accidental contact with the ball effectively helped create the opportunity for his teammate.

That makes the incident particularly difficult for supporters to accept.

The handball law has already become one of the most confusing areas of football officiating, particularly since the introduction of VAR. The constant analysis of tiny movements and different interpretations has only made matters more complicated.

Situations such as this inevitably lead to another debate about whether the regulations need to be adjusted again.

United also had their own handball appeal when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain appeared to use his arm while attempting to block Zac Sapsford’s cross.

The former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder was fortunate, although the available angle made it difficult to establish precisely where the ball struck him.

His arm was certainly in an awkward position, but the contact appeared to be above the relevant shirt-line area, meaning United could consider themselves unfortunate not to receive a decision in their favour.

United’s defensive problems

However, focusing exclusively on the handball would allow Dundee United to overlook some genuine defensive problems.

Rawlins, left, is visibly adjusting to the pace and physicality of Scottish football. Image: SNS

Even with the controversial build-up, Celtic’s second goal exposed weaknesses at the back.

Benjamin Nygren was able to find space through the defensive line before Duran showed greater determination than Julius Eskesen to reach the loose ball and finish.

The opening goal was also avoidable.

Trusty, one of Celtic’s major attacking threats, was allowed to make a relatively straightforward run towards the near post and head home. The marking from Sapsford was questionable, with the defender unable to stay with his opponent.

Joshua Rawlins also experienced another difficult afternoon.

Trusty scores to make it 1-0. Image: SNS

The young Australian has shown plenty of energy and enthusiasm since arriving, but his individual defending remains an area that needs attention.

Against Hearts, he allowed Josh McPake to move inside before combining with Claudio Braga and scoring. Against Celtic, he again showed Tounekti onto his preferred right foot but could not prevent the winger from finding the target.

Rawlins clearly possesses plenty of physical qualities and works tirelessly, but his one-on-one defending must improve.

United’s defensive shortcomings became even more obvious once they began committing players forward in search of goals.

Celtic’s quality punished United

There is another side to the story, though.

Dundee United were facing the reigning Scottish champions, and Celtic demonstrated why they remain such a difficult opponent.

Nygren was outstanding throughout the contest and produced an excellent curling finish to complete the scoring.

Goodwin will undoubtedly identify mistakes during his review of the match, but it would be unfair to ignore the quality Celtic possess.

United have now faced Hearts and Celtic in consecutive matches, meaning two of their opening challenges came against the teams that dominated Scottish football last season.

That context matters when assessing the scale of their problems.

Plenty of positives for Goodwin

The 8-0 aggregate scoreline from those two matches looks ugly, but the performances themselves were not completely without encouragement.

United actually looked considerably better against Celtic than they did during their 2-1 win over the Hoops at Tannadice last December.

The biggest difference was Celtic’s finishing.

Had the champions been as ruthless in that previous meeting as they were on Saturday, the contest could have been over before half-time.

United, meanwhile, created enough opportunities to make the match far more competitive.

They hit the woodwork twice in the first half, with Eskesen and Emmanuel Agyei both going close.

Agyei’s opportunity came after an excellent piece of aggressive pressing. Jesse Randall won possession high up the pitch before feeding Eskesen, who then produced a clever pass into Agyei’s path.

That sequence demonstrated exactly what Goodwin wants from his side.

The danger of playing so aggressively

United continued their aggressive approach after the interval and again started positively.

Sapsford struck the crossbar, but Celtic soon punished them at the other end.

Tounekti made it 3-0 following a quick counterattack, highlighting the danger associated with pushing so many players forward.

When a team presses high and attempts to suffocate the opposition, there is always a risk that an opponent with enough quality will break through the pressure.

Once Celtic escaped United’s press, their defence was exposed.

That does not necessarily mean the tactical approach is wrong, but the players must become more effective at defending one-on-one situations.

Bert Esselink and Michael Forbes were arguably among those least responsible for the goals conceded.

Further positives came from Agyei, who worked tirelessly while helping restrict Callum McGregor’s influence.

Mehdi Merghem also impressed after coming off the bench, although his effort against the post meant United reached the remarkable total of five shots against the woodwork.

Abdoulaye Yoro also provided encouragement during his cameo.

The Dundee derby changes everything

Despite the two heavy defeats, supporters can see that Goodwin is attempting to transform United’s style.

Emmanuel Agyei, pictured hitting the the post, was excellent. Image: SNS

The club have made 13 signings and are implementing a noticeably different approach, something many supporters had wanted to see.

Merghem, left, hit the woodwork – not that it makes him unique among his United teammates. Image: SNS

The problem now is that performances must begin producing results.

The Dundee derby at Tannadice represents the perfect opportunity.

A victory would provide United with their first league win and, perhaps more importantly, demonstrate that the new tactical approach can deliver points as well as attractive football.

Dylan Tait and hopefully Will Ferry should return for the derby, strengthening Goodwin’s options.

There can be few excuses this time.

After facing several of Scotland’s strongest sides in quick succession, United now have a fixture where they can realistically expect to compete for victory.

Derby day looms for Dundee. Image: SNS

If they fail again, the scrutiny will intensify and doubts surrounding Goodwin’s new-look side will inevitably grow.