Loo must be joking, Strachan

CELTIC 3

Hartson 9, Zurawski 49, Petrov 67

DUNDEE UTD 3

Fernandez 40, 86, Miller 82,

CELTIC manager Gordon Strachan admits he was about to deploy Roy Keane in a defensive role to hold their advantage against Dundee United - but the Hoops star had nipped to the toilet.

The Parkhead side were 3-1 ahead but, just as Keane returned from the little Bhoys' room and was ready to be thrown into the action, United stunned their hosts by pulling a goal back, before grabbing a late equaliser.

Strachan said: "At the first point when we were going to put Roy on, he disappeared to the toilet.

"We had one plan at 3-1 and another plan at 3-2.

"But, by the time we had spoken to Roy about that one, another goal had gone in and I had to keep on all my attackers.

"It was going to be a shutting up job at 3-1 but we didn't have the time to get him on.

"It's happened before. It's not Roy's fault, it was still 3-1 when he came back and, just as we were trying to get him on, the goal went in.

"I felt a bit sorry for him but he has taken it well."

John Hartson hit the opener on nine minutes and, although that was cancelled out by David Fernandez, Celtic went in front through Maciej Zurawski and Stilian Petrov.

But sub Lee Miller made it 3-2 and United completed a dramatic fightback when Fernandez snatched a late equaliser.

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