After a short break from training after the friendly win over Sligo Rovers, Celtic return to Lennoxtown this week in preparation for the upcoming Aberdeen match.
Jimmy Thelin’s Dons side visit Celtic Park on Saturday in a top-of-the-table clash that has Scottish football talking.
Both teams have 100% records at the start of the Premiership season, each with 21 points. Celtic are just ahead in the table due to goal difference.
One of those perfect streaks now has to end, and despite Aberdeen not beating the Bhoys in their last 25 attempts, there’s a bit of hype about the two teams going head-to-head.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  CelticCeltic | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 21 | 21 |
| 2 |  AberdeenAberdeen | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 21 |
| 3 |  RangersRangers | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 16 |
| 4 |  MotherwellMotherwell | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 13 |
The Scottish side that has caused Celtic the most grief this season is Falkirk. They twice took the lead in a Scottish League Cup match at Paradise before eventually succumbing 5-2.
They earned plaudits for their approach in the match, taking the game to the Scottish champions and showing no fear despite being underdogs.
Bairns boss John McGlynn, also a former opposition scout and analyst at Celtic working under Brendan Rodgers, has shared his view on how Aberdeen should now go about their business this weekend.
John McGlynn has his say on Aberdeen’s visit to Celtic Park
Speaking on The Warm-Up YouTube show, McGlynn said, “I think you’ve got to be bullish about it. If you feel you’ve got a good structure here, the players are playing to the way that you want them to play, the players are at the peak of their form, then I think you should back yourself to go and play in in your way.
“Otherwise, you’ll be asking yourself at ten to five why you’ve changed it?
“At least if you go and give it everything you’ve got and carry out what you’ve been playing against other teams, if it’s not enough, you can hold your hands up and say it just wasn’t quite enough.
“If you show a bit of weakness and you go ultra defensive, you can still lose a goal in the last minute.”
Brendan Rodgers will appreciate an ambitious Aberdeen
Rodgers was full of praise for McGlynn and Falkirk after the recent cup clash, even visiting their dressing room after the game to deliver his appreciation for the way they played.
He’d love nothing more than for Aberdeen to arrive at Celtic Park with the intent of making it an exciting, open game.
Not only for the spectacle but because it could allow the Bhoys’ best players to exploit space and give the Dons as good as they can muster in the Celtic half.
Low blocks can cause Celtic problems, but everyone knows that the league leaders have the quality to break down those tactics more often than not.
It’ll be very interesting to see how Thelin sets his team up in their biggest test of the season so far.
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