Celtic secured a nervy but deserved 2-1 win at Aberdeen on Wednesday night to boost their chances in the Premiership title race.
Benjamin Nygren scored the winner from the bench in this rearranged clash, as 67 Hail Hail takes a look at the three winners and one loser from these crucial three points for Martin O’Neill’s side.
To nobody’s surprise, Nygren features in the winners’ list for Celtic, as does Kieran Tierney and Viljami Sinisalo, but O’Neill has a big call to make on Sebastian Tounekti ahead of a second Ibrox trip.
- READ MORE: Mark Clattenburg agreed with referee’s call to postpone original Aberdeen vs Celtic fixture
Who is your Celtic man of the match from that HUGE win against Aberdeen?
Kieran Tierney is getting better and better
Tierney has had many injury issues in recent years, and it has meant that he has hardly played regularly, so his body has had to get used to the gruelling nature of playing week in and week out.
That’s why Celtic’s returning left-back has been slowly nurtured this season, but as the months roll on, and his fitness gets better, so does his form.
That was proven when he opened the scoring with a brilliant instinctive finish against Aberdeen, back-to-back goals for the Hoops star, including his fifth of the Premiership campaign.
Viljami Sinisalo looks at home in goal for Celtic
Kasper Schmeichel was absent against Aberdeen because of illness, which allowed Sinisalo to start again in between the sticks after his showings in Stuttgart and Ibrox.
Sinisalo was unable to prevent Kevin Nisbet from scoring his first-half penalty, but he did produce a fine save from the same player when his header was going into the back of the net early in the second half.
It proved to be very crucial because Celtic would win the game at Pittodrie, and the new man between the sticks looked as calm and reliable as anything.
Put respect on Benjamin Nygren’s name
Nygren has his critics, and you wonder why when he scores so many goals for Celtic, and the midfield he plays alongside is so depleted and out of sorts.
O’Neill opted to drop Celtic’s top scorer to the bench for this midweek game, but when he came on, in next to no time, he was on the scoresheet, with a finish that a striker would be proud of.
It’s typical of Nygren, who has scored yet another crucial goal in Celtic’s title hopes, as some respect needs to be put on his name because that’s now 19 goals in all competitions.
Celtic are better when Benjamin Nygren plays 🤨
Should Martin O'Neill be focusing the team around him so that he scores even more goals?
Martin O’Neill’s Sebastian Tounekti conundrum
There has been a lot of debate around Tounekti’s role at Celtic. He should be starting more games, but he is a better player off the bench.
After Tounekti’s positive impact at Ibrox, O’Neill threw him in the starting XI against Aberdeen, and he probably proved once again that he is better off as an impact player.
Don’t get it wrong, he kept the ball very well, and he was trying to create chances, but you just sense that he is more effective and impactful as a substitute.
Perhaps Tounekti should start from the bench for Celtic’s Scottish Cup tie at Rangers on Sunday, but the issue is, who starts up front and who should play down the middle, because Daizen Maeda isn’t exactly throwing his name into the starting hat.
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