Ladbrokes Prem: Why Aberdeen v Celtic will be the game of the season

It’s no exaggeration to say that Celtic have been unstoppable in the Ladbrokes Premiership up until now. An unbeaten run of eight wins and a draw has left them on Cloud Nine, but they face their toughest test yet at Pittodrie on Saturday.

The Hoops have won the last two meetings with the Dons, but have left empty-handed on their most recent visits to Pittodrie, with a pair of 2-1 defeats. So, where will this one be won and lost? The answers show it has all the makings of a classic…

Hoops hitmen v Dons dynamic stopper

Celtic have scored 30 times in nine league games. Aberdeen have conceded just once in their last four outings, with Fulham loanee Joe Lewis enjoying the form of his life between the sticks.

Only an Alexandre D’Acol penalty has beaten him in 371 minutes of football, but he’s now up against a side who have scored in each of their last 19 domestic fixtures.

Those predicting another goalkeeping masterclass from Lewis can back a Dons clean sheet at 9/2, while it’s 21/10 that Celtic score over 2.5 goals against Derek McInnes men for the third meeting in succession.

Celtic’s difficult Pittodrie record

Any other set of fans in the Ladbrokes Premiership would likely settle for a point on home soil against the Bhoys, but Aberdeen fans have come to expect victory when the Glasgow giants are in town.

The hosts have recorded back-to-back 2-1 wins against the Hoops here, with the Dons strolling into a two-goal lead in the first half last time out.

However, Celtic’s recent form means there’s a strong case to be made for it being ‘third time lucky’ in the visitors’ quest for points.

Youth v Experience

Brendan Rodgers has always been a man to give youth a chance, and nowhere has that been more evident than in Celtic’s recent run of games. Indeed, three of the Hoops’ starting front four in their 4-0 win at Ross County last time out were aged 21 or under.

They’re up against one of the Ladbrokes Premiership’s most experienced and well-organised defences, with three of their regular back four – Mark Reynolds, Andrew Considine and Shay Logan – boasting a mammoth 687 appearances in the Scottish top-flight.

Meanwhile at the other end, Adam Rooney has plenty of experience finding the net, chalking up 98 goals during six-and-a-half years north of the border.

It’s 9/4 for the former Oldham Athletic man to net anytime, while Celtic’s Leigh Griffiths leads the betting in that market at 11/10.

Aberdeen are 4/1 for victory, with Celtic 4/6 to chalk up a ninth league win of the season, while a first draw in 18 meetings is priced up at 14/5.

Meanwhile, the 8/11 for both teams to score looks like excellent value, with these two sides the top scorers in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing