SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Aberdeen 1 Celtic 3: AS TRAFFIC jams go, this one proved rather handy. Celtic's return from their Saturday lunchtime victory at Aberdeen was delayed by roadworks on the outskirts of Glasgow. Yet the impact on Tony Mowbray was likely to be positive since the manager was spared the sight of Arsenal dismantling Everton in real time.
A winning start to the Scottish Premier League season secured, thoughts now turn to the Gunners’ visit to Celtic Park on Champions League play-off business tomorrow night. Like that journey, it promises to be anything but straightforward.
Not that Celtic have been consumed by an inferiority complex. Their winger, Aiden McGeady, claimed Arsene Wenger’s team are “definitely beatable”. The Celtic full-back, Danny Fox, added that base tactics may be sufficient to trouble the Londoners.
“Sides like Wigan and Hull gave them some problems last season,” the former Coventry City player said. “We should not give them too much respect. We have to get in their faces and play our own style of football. I think they can be got at.” Mowbray was less positive in his outlook, criticising slackness from his side in the northeast, despite a first-half showing which simply brushed Aberdeen aside. It must be noted that similarities between Aberdeen and Arsenal start and end with the colour of their shirts, but a double from McGeady and a close-range effort from Scott McDonald sent Celtic into an unassailable position by the interval.
“We have to set standards at this club and I felt we fell below them in certain spells today,” said Mowbray, who had seen a fine volley from Sone Aluko restore some respectability to the hosts.
Perhaps personnel issues were troubling the Celtic manager. Glenn Loovens limped off at Pittodrie, his fellow central defender Stephen McManus remains on the injured list and Hull City have been linked with a move for Andreas Hinkel.
It also emerged over the weekend that Tottenham Hotspur could formalise their interest in Scott Brown – rated in excess of €11.65 million by Celtic – with that move far more likely to transpire if Mowbray’s team lose on aggregate to Arsenal and miss out on the riches of the Champions League.
Current Premier League title holders Rangers, got off to a good start to their defence campaign with a 4-1 win over Falkirk.
However, though the result may have looked like a stroll in the park for Walter Smith’s men, the truth is they struggled for periods of the game against a team who flirted with relegation last season.
A terrific opener from Lee McCulloch was cancelled out by Carl Finnigan. However, a double from Kenny Miller and a late strike from Steven Naismith ensured there would be no shocks on the opening day.
ABERDEEN: Langfield, Mulgrew, Foster, Duff (Mackie 38), McDonald, Diamond (Considine 80), Ifil, Kerr, Maguire (Paton 54), Miller, Aluko. Booked: Ifil.
CELTIC: Boruc, Hinkel, Daniel Fox, O'Dea, Loovens (Scott Brown 51), N'Guemo, Donati, McGeady, McDonald (Samaras 60), Fortune (Killen 75), Maloney.
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