Strachan hails his free-scoring Celts

Scott McDonald, seen here in action in August 2007, was Celtic's hat-trick hero as they returned to the top of the Scottish Premier League with a 3-0 win at home to Dundee United.

Gordon Strachan hailed his free scoring Celtic team after they moved top of the Scottish Premier League on Saturday with a 3-0 at home to Dundee United.

This victory - courtesy of Australian striker Scott McDonald's hat-trick - coupled with Rangers' 1-1 draw at Motherwell, means the Parkhead side now lead their Old Firm rivals, with a goal difference of plus five.

Celtic have now scored an astonishing 27 times in only seven SPL games - although the fact they have conceded six has led to questions being asked of their defence.

This may not be too much of a concern in the domestic game, but with holders AC Milan their next Champions League opponents on Wednesday at Celtic Park, there are fears a weak rearguard could hamper their European ambitions.

However, Strachan conceded he is not too bothered about losing goals as long as his team continue to hammer them in at the other end.

The Celtic manager said: "The most pleasing thing for me is we're scoring goals. If you can score goals you always have a chance of winning matches.

"Last season in some games we found it very hard to make chances but now in most games we're making numerous chances and that's the most satisfying thing."

Strachan continued: "There were some good individual performances, especially from the forwards, which is pleasing before the AC Milan game.

"The way we play we are always going to give away a couple of chances.

"On Saturday Artur made a world class save and Stephen McManus blocked a shot, but we created 15 or 16 chances."

Although the victory, and returning to the top of the table, will have boosted confidence for the Champions League match, Celtic's hopes of defeating the Italian giants suffered a blow when Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink limped off in the first half.

Strachan admitted the Dutch international striker has little chance of facing the Italian giants.

However, the Celtic manager is still hoping their Japanese star Shunsuke Nakamura, who has missed their last three games with a ligament injury to his left knee, may still make it.

Strachan said: "Big Jan has injured his hamstring and it doesn't look good. He only has an outside chance of being ready for Wednesday.

"I'm not sure about Nakamura, but we'll have a look at him and make up our minds on Monday."

One player who could be key to Celtic's hopes on Wednesday is Republic of Ireland international Aiden McGeady.

In addition to setting up two of McDonald's goals, McGeady's trickery and direct running were a constant source of trouble for Dundee United.

Strachan said: "Aiden played well. He was terrific. The more we gave him the ball the better he became.

"Recently he played on the left and won the man-of-the-match award and today he was brilliant playing on the right so it doesn't seem to matter which side he plays."

Celtic had taken the lead in only the seventh minute on Saturday.

McGeady skipped past Barry Robson before chipping the ball to the back post for Vennegoor of Hesselink and, although the Dutchman's header was palmed away by United's Polish goalkeeper Grzegorz Szamotulski, McDonald was on hand to nod home from close range.

In the 66th minute Scott Brown burst through the centre of the United defence before playing in McDonald, who showed good strength to hold off his marker before rounding the goalkeeper and rolling the ball into the empty net.

And McDonald completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute, stealing in at the back post to poke home McGeady's cross.