“After the other night we just want the chance to get back out and show what we can really do. We don’t care who we are up against, we just want to put Hamilton behind us as quick as we can,” he said.

“We are all very disappointed because I don’t think we could play any worse than we did. I’d say we could probably be as much as 75% better than we were and Sunday is the chance to show that.”

And, while he would understand if the evidence of New Douglas Park has left Celtic thinking an easy three points are for the taking, he is warning this time United will be fired up.

“The way we played, they might believe it will be easy, but no one is coming to Tannadice and not getting a hard game and we are up for this one.

“Since I’ve been here, if we’ve had a bad game we have bounced straight back and that’s the aim — it doesn’t matter who we are playing.”

Definitely out of the home ranks will be Danny Swanson following his red card against Hamilton in a reserve game on Tuesday.

And, despite the temptation to throw him on from the start, Francisco Sandaza will again be on the bench.

“His muscles do not have the endurance in them the other players have, and I probably should leave him out altogether for a couple of weeks so he can do a pre-season,” said boss Craig Levein.

“When you see his ability, though, that is easier said than done, but I must still be careful not to use him for too long. He definitely isn’t ready to start.”

Likewise, although winger Craig Conway could feature at top team level for the first time since breaking a metatarsal earlier this year, at best he will be among the subs as well.

“It’s not his fitness that is the problem because he has done a lot of running and he’s now had a couple of 90 minutes under his belt,” added Craig.

“He’s still a game away from full sharpness. He’s in my thoughts in terms of the bench.”