So much for the Scottish Premiership ‘needing a good Rangers’.
No, for Celtic to hit their heights and consistently pick up wins and points, apparently it’s a strong Aberdeen the division needs.
Jimmy Thelin’s side are unbeaten in the league having also started their Premier Sports Cup campaign without tasting defeat, either.
Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers has been mightily impressed by the Dons and their efforts so far this term including when they clawed back a 2-0 deficit at Parkhead earlier this month to nick a point and remain on Celtic’s tail.
Rodgers believes Aberdeen’s resurgence as a force in Scottish football can only benefit the product.
Selfishly, the manager also feels it can boost his side’s chances of continuing their relentless form as strong competition can only make the current champions and league leaders better.
It is 16 games unbeaten for the Dandies since Swedish coach Thelin took the reins and a 2-1 victory over Rangers in midweek only moved to boost their confidence levels.
This evening’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final clash at Hampden, though, will offer Rodgers and his squad the opportunity to lay down a marker for the rest of the season.
Celtic play Aberdeen in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final
It could allow Celtic to remind their opponents of the pecking order in the country as they seek another Treble under Rodgers’ guidance.
Still, the level of opposition for Celtic matters little when there is silverware to be won. And while the manager is excited to see a real challenge from Pittodrie this year, he’s still determined to quieten the runaway noise.
“I think it is brilliant,” he said of a fresh Dons challenge. “I think it’s great. Whether it is football, or whether it is business, any competition is healthy and it’s what makes you better.
“You will always drive your own standards and your own standard of performance, absolutely. But competition is really, really healthy and can keep moving you forward.
“Aberdeen are up there fighting as well. Everyone will expect Rangers to be there at some point, there will be other teams, big clubs from Edinburgh will feel they want to be up there challenging as well. So I think the more competitive, that can improve you.
“I am not surprised by their form this season and it’s a great credit to them. They have played with great consistency in their first 10 league games and have really good players. Jimmy [Thelin] has done a fantastic job and he has good coaching staff behind the scenes too.
“I always expect Aberdeen to be up there after my first time here. In Derek McInnes’s time, he had a great period and to see them up there is not a surprise. They are playing and performing very well.”
Aberdeen are unbeaten in 16 and trail Celtic only on goal difference
Rodgers added: “Having played them a few weeks ago, we know they are a really good side who have done so well this season. It’s a semi-final and you want to make the next step. We are looking forward to it and we know the challenges. But it will be a tough game.
“Is the 2-2 draw a warning? Yeah. It was a game we should have won. We were 2-0 up and had chances. We then got punished for our slackness in the first 15 minutes of the second half. That showed us that if you are slack and not concentrated and committed in your defending, they have players who can hurt you.
“You saw that with the two goals they scored and that has to be a learning for us. And it will be. We spoke about that afterwards and we will do it again before the game. Even in the last 20 minutes the last time, we did have chances to win it. But we also know that we need to play very well to reach the final.”
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
