Brendan Rodgers had plenty to smile about at Pittodrie as Celtic recorded a 1-0 victory over Aberdeen in midweek to extend their Scottish Premiership lead.
The Bhoys had to brave the elements against a stubborn Dons outfit, but Reo Hatate managed to settle the scoring with a wonderful caress and finish as his side claimed a statement result at their closest challengers’ home.
Now that the dust has settled on Celtic’s victory over Aberdeen, full focus at the club has now turned to seeing off Hibernian later today at Parkhead.
Brendan Rodgers has decisions to make on his line-up against the Hibees. Rotation is set to be a key element of his thinking, with a swift turnaround between this afternoon’s action and the trip to face Dinamo Zagreb next midweek.
Before that takes centre stage, some details of a brilliant exchange the Irishman had post-match have entered the public domain.
Ross Doohan opens up on exchange with Brendan Rodgers
Formerly of the Celtic Academy, Aberdeen goalkeeper Ross Doohan has admitted that he shared a moment with Rodgers after the match and detailed what the Irishman had to say during their exchange.
He stated [Daily Record]: “Brendan Rodgers came up and said, ‘Well done’ and then, ‘Best of luck’. I was happy with how it went.
“The result on Tuesday result was a bit disappointing but I got a good comment from Brendan and their goalie coach Stevie Woods so I just need to look forward to the game on Saturday.”
Despite a polished performance between the sticks, Doohan was powerless to stop Hatate guaranteeing the visitors three points as they opened up a seven-point gap in the Scottish Premiership.
Celtc now keen to build on triumph over Aberdeen
Everyone connected with Celtic would’ve taken a second to bask in the glory of what was a pivotal result against Aberdeen.
In context, digging deep at Pittodrie could go a long way when looking back on achievements at the end of the season.
However, complacency has to be guarded against today. Hibernian will come ready to try and take the shine off the Bhoys’ unbeaten start, so composure is needed to see off David Gray’s men.
Nevertheless, this group have shown they can win at all costs. Hopefully, another three points can send the Celtic support home jubilant.
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