WITH so many fixtures in so few days, football players reckon they can give Santa Claus a run for his money when it comes to claims for being overworked at this time of year.

However, if Celtic's stars believe the answer is simply to roll up their sleeves and put in a worthwhile shift for only 30 minutes in a game, as they did against Dundee United, they have quickly been shown the error of their ways.

Manager Gordon Strachan delivered something other than season's greetings when his Bhoys got back in, after snatching two late goals to cancel out the pair of gifts handed to United earlier in the festivities at Parkhead.

The league leaders' prized 100% home record has been destroyed by this 2-2 draw. But at least they did get their game going in time to avoid their first home defeat in the league since November last year, when Dunfermline shocked the SPL by winning 1-0.

That is scant consolation for the supporters who dragged themselves away from re-heated turkey and the remnants of the selection boxes to watch this Boxing Day dollop of football.

Again, they were not there in the numbers normally associated with games at the home of the champions, even if the official attendance figure does say more than 55,000, courtesy of season ticket holders automatically being registered whether they attend or not.

Strachan attributes the empty seats to the ancillary costs associated with turning up for games, an extra expense many fans simply can't thole at this already-expensive time of year when the games come thick and fast.

It was their loss on this occasion, as they missed not only a rare event - a side leading 2-0 at Parkhead - but another piece of Shunsuke Nakamura magic which definitely deserved the accolade, a Christmas cracker.

Unfortunately, it was not all glad tidings as Bobo Balde suffered a serious leg injury as he twisted, stretching for the ball towards the end of the first half. He now looks like being out of action until well into 2007.

That will almost certainly force chief executive Peter Lawwell to do a bit of belated Christmas shopping for Strachan, with the manager telling him that Steven Pressley is even more his idea of the must-have gift.

Darren O'Dea (pronounced O'Dee) stepped in for Balde as the big Guinean was stretchered away. But the Dubliner is predominantly left-sided, as is the only other upright central defender available to Strachan, Stephen McManus.

To help the teenager settle in, McManus moved across to the right, but was clearly less comfortable on that side. So, a right-footed centre-back is a priority.

Even before Balde's departure and the subsequent reshuffle, there had been an unfamiliar look to the side, the consequence of Neil Lennon watching from the stand as he served his automatic one-game suspension following his red card against Falkirk at the weekend.

The captain's absence allowed many of his critics to appreciate just how influential he is at the heart of the side, taking balls from defenders, starting moves with simple but effective passes, and breaking up attacks when possession is lost.

Although Evander Sno was his direct replacement, Thomas Gravesen was the man expected to assume the mantle of midfield general.

However, as rock solid as the Dane had been against Falkirk, he was every bit as impotent against United.

Gravesen simply got caught on his heels too often, his speed of foot and mind not up to the required standard against a team of energetic players intent on playing a pressing game.

Sno looked uneasy and detached from his more experienced midfield partner, and Celtic lacked a cohesive core as a result.

The flair players either side, Nakamura and Aiden McGeady, also found it difficult to make any telling contribution, so the forward pairing of Maciej Zurawski and Jiri Jarosik received little by way of service.

When the ball did come their way, the nearside linesman's penchant for raising his flag - sometimes legitimately, other times not - stopped most attacks before they had even begun.

This was a Green Machine misfiring badly.

It was no great surprise, therefore, that the opening goal should come at the other end of the park, and on 16 minutes David Robertson was allowed to rise unchallenged, to head a Lee Mair cross from the right beyond Artur Boruc.

That would normally be the signal for Celtic to redouble their efforts and find a new gear. Instead, it was United who increased their lead, 12 minutes into the second half, and again it was sloppy defending which opened the door.

Barry Robson's free kick beyond the far post was kept in by the head of Garry Kenneth. Craig Conway was first to react and knocked the ball across the six-yard line to where Collin Samuel had the easiest of tasks to shoot home.

Strachan, who had just brought on Kenny Miller for Jarosik, reacted by replacing McGeady with Derek Riordan. But it took Nakamura to provide the way back, winning a free kick on the right after 67 minutes, taking it himself and finding O'Dea, who had beaten the offside trap, to head home from close range.

With 12 minutes to go, it was 2-2 after Naka spotted Derek Stillie off his line and curled a terrific shot over the keeper and into the net from the left-hand side of the 18-yard box.

With the momentum so much behind them, most fans expected Celtic to go on and win the game. But for two good saves from Stillie, Riordan could have obliged. Indeed, he should have obliged.

However, that would have masked the fact this was a game Celtic were very close to losing, and they would have had no-one to blame bar themselves.