Sunday 26 April 2015 23:44, UK
Ronny Deila felt it had been a game of two halves as his Celtic side took a decisive step towards retaining their Premiership title with a 3-0 win at Dundee United.
After a forgettable opening period at Tannadice the game burst into life after the break when Leigh Griffiths broke the deadlock, and the striker went on to claim a hat-trick as Celtic eased eight points clear of Aberdeen with four games remaining.
The third goal came from the penalty spot after Gary Mackay-Steven had been fouled, although replays seemed to indicate the initial foul may have occured outside the box.
The Norwegian appeared to be still sore about the way his dreams of a treble were ended in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Inverness Caledonian Thistle last week and would not broker comparisons between the penalty decision at Hampden and on Tayside.
He said: "I agree (decisions even up over a season) but what happened last Sunday was not normal.
"This is a totally different thing. I rarely talk about referees' decisions but last Sunday was a thing that really affected the game.
"We had full control over the game, we were 1-0 up and we had assistants on the goal-line also so I don't think you can say that this was the same as what happened today.
"It was a totally different thing. And the cup of course, is one game, so it is different.
I didn't have a good feeling about the first half as we played really poorly.
"If it was wrong today it would not have affected the game. If it was only 1-0 I could understand it could be an issue. I don't mind if we win 2-0 or 3-0, we deserved to win the game.
"I didn't have a good feeling about first half as we played really poor. Leigh Griffiths delivered. We have started to get to know one another and he knows what I expect and I know what he can contribute at the top level.
"United have some good young players and they are tough to play against. I haven't seen the penalty incident; but if that decision was wrong I don't think it made any difference."
Celtic will clinch the title if they beat Dundee on Friday night in the Sky Live match and Aberdeen do not beat Dundee United on Saturday.
Deila said: "We have to beat Dundee on Friday and that is what we are aiming for. I want to win (the title) as quickly as possible."
Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara was phlegmatic about the result - their seventh defeat in the last eight games - and insisted that the Tayside club are still moving in the right direction.
He said: "I was pleased with a lot of things in the first half but disappointed to lose the goal so soon after half-time. It's difficult from that point on, they got their tails up.
"Robbie Muirhead was isolated in the second half but for his first full start against a quality defence I thought he caused them problems. I was pleased for him.
"The penalty incident looked outside the box, but it's part and parcel of the game, you just have to accept it. There are good signs that we are moving the right way.
"The chairman and the board look after the running of the club, I look after the players. Losing four players in six months makes my job harder but my job is to get the club on a sound footing. There are kids coming on and making their debuts."
Watch Celtic play Dundee this Friday May 1 on Sky Sports 5 HD, kick-off 19:45
