Celtic 2 - 1 Dundee Utd: Celtic reclaim top spot, as Levein launches attack on 'arrogant' ref

DUNDEE United manager Craig Levein last night launched an incendiary verbal attack on referee Stuart Dougal, accusing the official of arrogance in refusing to allow his captain Lee Wilkie to receive treatment for an injury during the 2-1 defeat by Celtic at Parkhead.

Levein, no stranger to clashes with referees which have attracted the attention of the SFA's disciplinary committee, was incensed by Dougal's behaviour towards him which he claimed would have resulted in physical retaliation had it occurred elsewhere.

Wilkie, whose career has been threatened by a serious knee injury, went down after a challenge from Celtic striker Scott McDonald but Dougal would not stop the match to allow treatment for the big defender.

"I have lost all respect for Stuart Dougal tonight," said Levein. "What astonished me was the arrogance of the referee.

"Everyone knows Lee Wilkie was out for three years because of a knee injury. But when he (Dougal] came over to the touchline, the way he spoke to me about it was absolutely disgraceful. He stuck his finger in my face and told me to shut up. I wouldn't speak to anyone like that. If it happened in a pub, the guy would get a punch in the face.

"He lost his composure and the way he spoke to me was not acceptable. If I spoke to him like that, I would have been sitting in the stand.

"Lee has a stud mark above his shin pad and anyone who knows him would realise that he doesn't go down unless he is injured. Yet Stuart Dougal didn't believe him. He made up his mind there was nothing wrong with Lee."

Wilkie was eventually allowed treatment and was able to complete the match but he shared his manager's disgust of Dougal's response to the situation. "McDonald caught me just below the knee and I kept looking at the referee to see when he was going to stop play," said Wilkie. "I couldn't believe he kept it going.

"When I asked him at half-time what it was all about, he was quite arrogant. He waved me away and told me his kids had taken bigger hits. It was a stupid comment to make. I told him about my knee problems but he didn't seem bothered."

The Celtic manager Gordon Strachan was simply relieved to take three points from another tight contest against a United side who have consistently stretched the SPL champions to the limit this season.

"We were all a bit spooked when United got it back to 2-1," said Strachan, "because they have come back to draw with us before. It was a long final half hour or so."

Georgios Samaras, scorer of Celtic's second goal, believes United could now hold the key to the outcome of the title race when they face Rangers at Tannadice on the last day of the season.

"United are a good team and Rangers could drop points there," he said.

"We can handle the pressure of our last games, we believe we can win them both. Then we will see where the helicopter lands on the last day, hopefully it will be Celtic Park."