Aberdeen vs Celtic. Scottish Premiership.
PittodrieAttendance17,206.
Sunday 25 February 2018 14:42, UK
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will be hoping for a positive reaction from his players when his side visit Aberdeen, live on Sky Sports, this Sunday.
But the Scottish champions are still pursuing a domestic treble, resuming their Premiership campaign with a difficult trip to face third-placed Aberdeen.
They have already retained the Scottish League Cup and play Greenock Morton in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals on March 3 - and Rodgers is keen to put the disappointment of Thursday's European exit behind him.
"We have to go away and finish our domestic campaign as well as we possibly can and try to create another piece of history on that front," Rodgers said.
"Then we have to look to be better in Europe again, as we were this year, and try to take another step forward."
Dons manager Derek McInnes will hope to see a response from his players after their own setback in their last outing, losing 2-0 to Hibernian at Easter Road.
The Dons have lost nine straight games against the Hoops - including all eight clashes with Rodgers as Parkhead boss.
McInnes says his Aberdeen players should take it as a compliment that they always face Celtic's strongest line-up.
"It's been difficult as during my time at St Johnstone and then my first few years here we managed to beat Celtic a few times," said McInnes, who will be looking to claim just his sixth victory from 30 clashes when the Reds host Rodgers' team on Sunday.
"But it's nine games now [since we last beat them] I've been reminded. A couple of those have been cup finals but all the rest have been first-against-second, so they have been real meaningful games.
"Against us they make sure their big players are always on the pitch. They always make sure they have a fully motivated performance because they see the importance of the game as normally we're their closest rivals.
"It's them trying to give us a slap down and win the game - that in turn makes it a bit more difficult for our players. But our players should relish the challenge of that and the responsibility of trying to get the points for Aberdeen."
Loan star Ryan Christie will sit out Aberdeen's clash with parent club Celtic on Sunday. Skipper Graeme Shinnie is also unavailable for the Pittodrie showdown as he completes a two-match ban.
The only other absentee for boss Derek McInnes is goalkeeper Joe Lewis, who remains out with a long-term knee injury.
Celtic skipper Scott Brown returns from suspension for Sunday's Ladbrokes Premiership clash with Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Manager Brendan Rodgers will assess the rest of his squad following the 3-0 Europa League defeat to Zenit St Petersburg on Thursday.
Nir Bitton could be sidelined for the season with a knee problem but Rodgers will hope some of his other injured players - Dedryck Boyata (groin), Craig Gordon (knee), Leigh Griffiths (calf), Marvin Compper (calf), Jonny Hayes (broken leg), Anthony Ralston (knee), Stuart Armstrong (hernia) and Patrick Roberts (hamstring) - will soon be available.
Aberdeen have lost seven consecutive top-flight matches against Celtic, failing to score in four of the last five contests between the two sides.
However, the last 15 points Aberdeen have taken from Celtic in the Scottish Premiership have all come on home soil.
The Dons have won four of their last five matches at the Pittodrie Stadium (D1), keeping clean sheets in three of the last four.
Celtic have gone back to back league matches without a victory for the first time since March 2016, when they drew 1-1 against Hamilton and followed it up with a 0-0 against Dundee.
Aberdeen have scored a league high of eight goals in the opening 15 minutes of games this season, however they have also conceded a joint-league high of seven goals during this period also.
"Aberdeen have been on the ropes for the last three or four years against Celtic. When they went to Pittodrie earlier in the campaign, they battered Aberdeen and it was a rude awakening.
"But Celtic were so poor on Thursday night in the Europa League, and I think they looked exhausted. They may be troubled by a couple of extra injuries, and they don't have much to play with defensively. Aberdeen have to go after them and make Celtic feel that tiredness.
"If Celtic score first, then Aberdeen are in trouble. But I think we could have a serious game happening this Sunday. Aberdeen have to be in their face and physically challenge them but there will be some sort of a backlash from Brendan Rodgers' side."
Charlie predicts: 2-2 draw (16/1 with Sky Bet)
