Scotland: Paul Le Guen's attempts to turn Celtic's canter to successive Scottish Premier League championships into a meaningful title race appear increasingly forlorn this morning after Rangers 2-1 defeat to Dundee United at Tannadice yesterday.

There should be no doubt that this Rangers team is inferior to the one which cost the former manager, Alex McLeish, his job and only Le Guen's strong reputation from his successful time at Lyon ensures there is not all-out revolt from an increasingly perplexed support.

This was a dream debut as Dundee United's manager for Craig Levein. Rangers took a second-half lead through Charlie Adam before being undone by two apparently straightforward set-pieces, Garry Kenneth and Lee Mair scoring with headers for a home side who had won only two of their previous 28 league matches. Le Guen's post-match assertions that his side deserved to win were wide of the mark as were, on recent evidence, any thoughts that Celtic will encounter any difficulties in their quest for back-to-back titles.

Celtic came from a goal down to snatch a late winner in their top-of-the-table clash with Hearts on Saturday, thanks to a blunder by Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon. Gordon tried to parry a scrambled shot from defender Stephen McManus in stoppage time but instead bundled it over the line for a 2-1 win which allowed Celtic to move 13 points clear in the league and saw one leading bookmaker pay out already on Celtic winning the championship.