Celtic beat Aberdeen 1-0 at Pittodrie to extend what is looking like it’s becoming an unassailable lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership now.
The Bhoys’ victory over Aberdeen means that a seven-point gap has opened up between the two clubs in the Scottish Premiership and with Celtic having a game in hand, there is a strong possibility that gap could get wider.
The game was a tight affair as Celtic dominated much of the possession but could only find the breakthrough after a Reo Hatate goal sealed another away win for the Hoops.
But the victory could have been a lot easier if Paulo Bernardo’s disallowed first-half goal had stood. In the end, it was rightly chalked off for a foul on Aberdeen goalkeeper, Ross Doohan by Daizen Maeda.
Former Celtic boss, Neil Lennon agreed that the decision to chalk off the goal was correct and, in truth, there are not many fans who would disagree.
But it was Aberdeen legend, Willie Miller’s initial reaction that caught our attention and how he backtracked from his original verdict on the match referee’s decision to award a foul on the Pittodrie keeper.
Willie Miller backtracks from initial verdict on Paulo Bernardo’s disallowed Celtic goal vs Aberdeen
Taking a look again at the goal below, the decision to rule it out still seems like the correct one:
But at first glance, Miller had a different view.
Miller said during commentary on BBC Radio Scotland, “I think it’s actually a foul on Nilsen, is it not?”
Pat Bonner: “No, it’s a foul on the goalkeeper.”
Miller: “It’s a foul on the goalkeeper? Aw precious, yeah. There’s not too much on it Packie. I know what you are saying but you are in the goalkeeper’s union, of course.”
Bonner: “I’ll tell you what I was going to say and it surprises me greatly is that they didn’t have a player between the goalkeeper and Maeda to protect the goalkeeper.
“And I’ve said that so many times, the goalkeepers got no chance. No chance because he’s blocked off and to go back to the point of setting up from the corner, you’ve got to protect the goalkeeper and allow him to get space to come and take and deal with the ball.
“They don’t do that and he’s under severe pressure.”
Miller: “And he was in that occasion. But you know, it was a free kick, it was an infringement.”
Celtic’s next four fixtures could shape European and domestic success
Now that Aberdeen have been put to bed, Celtic have another four fixtures coming up that could shape how the rest of the season could go.
With Hibs at Celtic Park on Saturday, Brendan Rodgers could extend his lead over Rangers, who play on Sunday, and Aberdeen again if Jimmy Thelin’s side drop more points against St Johnstone.
Dinamo Zagreb then face Celtic in the Champions League and if the Parkhead club can negotiate a positive result then a play-off place is virtually guaranteed.
Then it’s the League Cup final against Rangers at Hampden for Celtic. If Rodgers can maintain his unbeaten run over Philippe Clement and pick up the first trophy of the season then the Ibrox club would be absolutely demoralised heading into the second half of the season.
It’s a big few weeks for Rodgers but it does have the potential of being the best period of the season for the fans.
