STORM Arwen may have caused the Tannadice roof to buckle, but it was a devastating Celtic performance that brought it crashing down on Dundee United.

Goals from the imperious Tom Rogic and David Turnbull during a first half that the visitors completely dominated, and a late goal from substitute Liam Scales, were enough to get the three points that kept Celtic on the coattails of Rangers at the top of the Premiership, but the margin of victory could and should have been even greater.

The opening 45 minutes here was arguably as slick as anything Celtic have produced so far under Ange Postecoglou, with Rogic in inspired form and Callum McGregor pulling the strings from midfield. Had it not been for a rare off-day in front of goal from Kyogo, it might well have been a bruising defeat for a United side who had no answer to the pace and movement of their opponents.

The challenge for Celtic now is to put it together for an entire 90 minutes, with the only tinge of disappointment from their point of view – if you can have such a thing after a 3-0 win - was the feeling that they had rather let United off the hook.

Dundee United were boosted by the return of Jeando Fuchs to the midfield, while Calum Butcher made the bench after suspension. Another one may be coming his way via a citation from Hampden, but more of that later.

For Celtic, Greg Taylor was passed fit to make a return at left-back ahead of schedule, with manager Postecoglou previously thinking this game would come too soon for him. That allowed Josip Juranovic to start on the right with Anthony Ralston missing out due to the ankle injury he picked up in Thursday night’s win over Hearts.

Cameron Carter-Vickers came back into the defence to partner Carl Starfelt, while Mikey Johnston was given a chance to shine in place of Jota, who tweaked his hamstring in midweek.

There was a section of the Jerry Kerr Stand closed due to that storm damage to the roof, but the atmosphere still crackled at Tannadice even with a reduced capacity.

Celtic were on the front foot from the off, and should have taken the lead when Turnbull’s corner was flicked on by Taylor at the near post to Kyogo, but the striker put his header over from point-blank range.

Joe Hart almost gifted United a goal at the other end, as he made a mess of a first-time pass to Juranovic that sent the ball skiddling across his goalline, but Louis Appere just couldn’t get there to tap home and the chance was gone.

When the opening goal eventually came though, it was a thing of beauty. Rogic picked the ball up from Carter-Vickers on the right, jinked his way past a three challenges to get into the area, side-stepped Charlie Mulgrew and bent a left-foot curler beyond Benjamin Siegrist and in at the far post.

It was a brilliant goal, by a player who often makes the extraordinary seem so effortlessly routine. It may be somewhat surprising that this was his first goal since the 6-0 win over Dundee back in August, but there is no doubting the value he brings to this Celtic team, and the value he often gives to the punters for their admission fee.

Johnston tried to get in on the act from the other side, ghosting in from the left and firing just wide of Siegrist’s left-hand post via a deflection. From the corner, the United keeper had to look lively to beat away a clever flick from Carter-Vickers.

United just couldn’t get out, with the ball not sticking up front with Nicky Clark, who had the thankless task of competing for high balls with the two Celtic centre-backs.

Indeed, it was only the casualness of Turnbull that prevented Celtic from doubling their lead, the midfielder being picked out in front of goal by Kyogo and simply letting the ball hit off him rather than sticking it in the back of the net. Siegrist managed to boot it off him and over, and another chance was spurned.

He would soon make amends. A beautiful dinked pass into the area from McGregor found Turnbull steaming through the United backline. This time, his first touch was a topper, dinking the ball over Siegrist and then slamming it into the net.

Forrest took a rest at half-time, with Liel Abada coming on to replace the winger, while Butcher came on for Appere soon after in a signal that United manager Tam Courts already had an eye on damage limitation.

A lovely ball from Carter-Vickers breached the home backline again though, with Abada crossing for Kyogo to bring out a good save from Siegrist with a powerful header.

Butcher then showed he is perhaps the most aptly-named United player since Jean Jacques Misse-Misse as he needlessly dived in on Turnbull and clattered his studs into his shin. He was very lucky to escape with just a yellow card from referee Don Robertson.

There were a couple of belated counter-punches from United, with Adrian Sporle drawing a decent save from Hart with a fierce strike across goal, while Rogic took his ovation from the travelling support to be replaced by Nir Bitton.

Scales replaced the tiring Taylor, and there was time for the Irishman to make his mark, latching onto an Abada cutback to produce a composed sidefoot finish to give a more accurate reflection of the game to the scoreline.

A storming performance from Celtic, and no mistake.