Alan Morrison with A Celtic State of Mind – The Celtic by Numbers pre-match

Celtic continue their December odyssey with no signs of the persistence and efficiency deserting them. It is probably hyper critical but nevertheless a valid viewpoint to say that the performances have lacked the sparkle of earlier in the season. Never-ending injury lists and a game every 3 or 4 days don’t help, of course. The results speak for themselves, however, and the December schedule is often attritional.

Lennon has responded to injury by shuffling players around positionally. It is to be hoped we will see the ebullient Christie restored to his central berth, and Forrest back on the right. Hopefully Elyounoussi or Johnston will make it on the left. We might then see a more fluent Celtic.

Nine league wins in a row sees the champions on the cusp of another X. But the Dons, too, have form. Heavy defeats to Celtic and Hibernian have punctuated a run of 11 games otherwise undefeated.

They are not keeping many clean sheets (1 in the last 6) and they have allowed 171 shots at their goal compared to the Hoops’ 86.

Cosgrove is now up to nine goals. The creative spark after all these seasons remains McGinn, on seven assists. With 0.85 scoring contributions per 90m he leads the Aberdeen squad in scoring.

Christie hit 10 league goals and Forrest 10 league assists on Wednesday at Tynecastle, and, with Edouard on 11 league goals, it takes a lot to tame the
champions’ front three.

Celtic are finding a way to win and have been over the course many times. Aberdeen are in form but Celtic’s attack is hard to resist, whilst at the back Cosgrove should hold no fears for Jullien. The ghost of Frimpong past will also haunt the Dons after their Pittodrie evisceration in October.

I predict a 3-0 win for the Hoops with Edouard finding the net.

Alan Morrison