Celtic have reduced Rangers’ lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 15 points after beating Aberdeen in Glasgow for a fifth consecutive win.
David Turnbull’s fine long-range strike gave the hosts a 14th-minute lead.
Florian Kamberi almost levelled from a similar distance, his low shot bouncing off the left-hand post.
And there was to be no leveller, meaning Aberdeen set a club record of six games without a goal, during which time they have picked up three points.
Derek McInnes’ side, in fourth place, remain four points behind Hibernian, who have a game in hand, while Neil Lennon’s Celtic and Rangers have both played 29 of their 38 league games.
Kamberi should have made more of a tame effort that Scott Bain collected moments before the Turnbull opener.
The midfielder was afforded far too much space when receiving Callum McGregor’s pass midway inside Aberdeen’s half and punished the Dons with a fierce low strike past Joe Lewis.
Swiss striker Kamberi claimed unsuccessfully for a penalty after his cross came off Stephen Welsh’s hand and Dean Campbell then got in behind Celtic’s defence to cross for Fraser Hornby, who could not connect.
Kamberi was inches away from levelling when he collected Campbell’s pass and fired powerfully against the upright.
Odsonne Edouard tested Lewis as Celtic looked to make the scoreline more comfortable and Turnbull’s next shot was deflected wide.
McGregor and Turnbull combined again early in the second period but the latter’s shot was hacked clear.
Hornby got decent purchase on a shot on the edge of Celtic’s box but Bain was untroubled.
Ryan Christie’s lob dropped over the Aberdeen bar amid a raft of changes from both sides and substitute Patryk Klimala was denied by Lewis.
And, in stoppage time, the Dons poured players forward and Tommie Hoban’s volley was blocked by Welsh.
Man of the match – David Turnbull
What did we learn?
Celtic were less dominant than they had been in recent games and rarely threatened to move up through the gears.
Edouard’s return to form has been the catalyst for their recent resurgence but Turnbull has impressed consistently since becoming a regular in the starting line-up.
Aberdeen’s performance was a vast improvement on Saturday’s stalemate with St Mirren and their continued lack of goals is not for the want of trying.
However, if the Dons are to persist with 3-5-2, they will need to get their wide men much further forward to create more chances.
What’s next?
Celtic are away to Scottish Premiership bottom side Ross County on Sunday (19:30 GMT). Aberdeen are at home to Kilmarnock on Saturday (15:00).
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Celtic
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Squad number29Player nameBain
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Squad number16Player nameKenny
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Squad number57Player nameWelsh
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Squad number35Player nameAjer
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Squad number3Player nameTaylor
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Squad number12Player nameSoro
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Squad number17Player nameChristie
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Squad number14Player nameTurnbull
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Squad number42Player nameMcGregor
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Squad number22Player nameEdouard
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Squad number10Player nameAjeti
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Squad number8Player nameBrown
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Squad number11Player nameKlimala
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Squad number18Player nameRogic
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Squad number27Player nameElyounoussi
Aberdeen
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Squad number1Player nameLewis
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Squad number3Player nameHoban
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Squad number14Player nameTaylor
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Squad number4Player nameConsidine
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Squad number33Player nameKennedy
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Squad number40Player nameMcCrorie
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Squad number19Player nameFerguson
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Squad number24Player nameCampbell
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Squad number17Player nameHayes
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Squad number7Player nameHornby
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Squad number22Player nameKamberi
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Squad number9Player nameHendry
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Squad number10Player nameMcGinn
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Squad number15Player nameMcGeouch
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Squad number18Player nameMcLennan
Line-ups
Celtic
Formation 4-1-3-2
- 29Bain
- 16Kenny
- 57Welsh
- 35Ajer
- 3Taylor
- 12SoroSubstituted forBrownat 72′minutes
- 17Christie
- 14TurnbullSubstituted forElyounoussiat 81′minutes
- 42McGregor
- 22EdouardSubstituted forKlimalaat 81′minutes
- 10AjetiSubstituted forRogicat 62′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Barkas
- 4Duffy
- 8Brown
- 9Griffiths
- 11Klimala
- 18Rogic
- 27Elyounoussi
- 56Ralston
- 93Laxalt
Aberdeen
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Lewis
- 3Hoban
- 14Taylor
- 4Considine
- 33KennedySubstituted forMcGinnat 77′minutes
- 40McCrorie
- 19FergusonBooked at 88mins
- 24CampbellSubstituted forMcGeouchat 82′minutes
- 17HayesSubstituted forMcLennanat 62′minutes
- 7HornbySubstituted forHendryat 77′minutesBooked at 83mins
- 22Kamberi
Substitutes
- 2Logan
- 9Hendry
- 10McGinn
- 15McGeouch
- 18McLennan
- 23Ross
- 26Virtanen
- 29MacKenzie
- 43Woods
Live Text
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Match ends, Celtic 1, Aberdeen 0.
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Second Half ends, Celtic 1, Aberdeen 0.
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Scott Bain (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen).
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Foul by Patryk Klimala (Celtic).
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Connor McLennan (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Kristoffer Ajer.
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Attempt missed. Andrew Considine (Aberdeen) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Niall McGinn with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Greg Taylor.
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Attempt blocked. Callum Hendry (Aberdeen) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Andrew Considine with a headed pass.
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Attempt missed. Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ash Taylor with a cross.
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Corner, Aberdeen. Conceded by Kristoffer Ajer.
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Attempt saved. Patryk Klimala (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ryan Christie with a through ball.
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Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Callum McGregor (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen).
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Offside, Aberdeen. Ross McCrorie tries a through ball, but Niall McGinn is caught offside.
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Patryk Klimala (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen).
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Foul by Patryk Klimala (Celtic).
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