Jota and Callum McGregorSNS

Jota and Callum McGregor netted during Celtic's dominant first-half display

Jamie Lyall
BBC Sport Scotland

Ruthless Celtic extended their advantage at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 16 points by cruising past Aberdeen in Glasgow.

Brendan Rodgers' side were within minutes of setting a new record of 10 successive home league victories without conceding a goal before Shayden Morris' 90th-minute consolation.

It was, however, a rare shaft of light on a gloomy evening for Aberdeen, who failed to capitalise on their sprightly start. Oday Dabbagh spurned a chance from close range and Kevin Nisbet steered wide after a wayward pass from Kasper Schmeichel.

Celtic showed no such mercy at the other end. First-half goals from Daizen Maeda, Jota and Callum McGregor effectively killed the contest.

Maeda - with a similarly opportunistic effort to Saturday's strike at Hibernian - seized upon on a deflected Arne Engels shot, burning Mats Knoester to volley in.

Celtic's second was a piece of counter-attacking artistry. Nicolas Kuhn set the champions galloping off with a fabulous pass on the edge of his own box to unleash Jota, who switched play to Engels on the right.

The Belgian moved into the area and returned to Jota to scoop into the net.

Jeppe Okkels wasted another enticing Aberdeen opening, blasting straight into Alistair Johnston, before McGregor's ruthless side-foot finish piled on the misery.

The second half yielded few chances, Maeda menacing from Reo Hatate's curler, Aberdeen's Morris rolling tamely wide after robbing Auston Trusty and haring into the box, before Toppi Keskinen ran himself into trouble rather than shooting.

Typically, Celtic made them pay, Luke McCowan sliding in Yang Hyun-jun to stab past Ross Doohan from six yards.

Now lacking in gumption, Aberdeen were a broken team.

Their last act of defiance came when Morris overpowered Liam Scales and shot through Schmeichel from a tight angle, who whacked a post in frustration at a clean sheet now stained and record ripped from his grasp.

As if stirred by the concession, Celtic had the final say, Maeda knocking in a terrific Johnston cross in stoppage time.

Aberdeen remain a solitary point above Dundee United, who host Hibs on Wednesday, while Celtic's procession towards another title continues apace.

Celtic's best not required to prevail

Celtic's vast arsenal of attacking weaponry was not required here.

The league leaders were hardly irrepressible. Their distribution was a little off, their timing not quite in sync, and connections not as crisp as they often are.

There were shaky moments defensively, if nothing to induce palpitations among the locals.

Yet by the time the teams trooped off at the break, Celtic had built an unassailable lead. Where Aberdeen squandered their openings, their hosts feasted on slackness.

They played much of the contest in second gear, but second gear was plenty.

McCowan, Yang and Adam Idah made influential contributions off the bench. The tireless Maeda buzzed around like a wasp. Their persistence and willingness to recycle possession was telling even when so many attacks were fruitless.

After the gut-wrenching Champions League exit in Munich, and the angst-ridden loss at Easter Road, a perfunctory home win will do just fine.

Aberdeen left ruing missed opportunities

Winning at Celtic Park requires defensive solidity and a killer instinct up front and Aberdeen, ambitious and full of positive intent as they were, delivered neither.

Jimmy Thelin pledged to be true to his side's tactical identity, and there was little change to the aggressive blueprint which saw his team keep pace with the Glasgow juggernaut early in the season, and record a belligerent 2-2 draw here.

What was missing, was Aberdeen's bloodlust in the Celtic box.

Dabbagh's lack of conviction in pursuing his early chance. Nisbet's miscue when presented with an open goal from 20 yards out, Morris' powderpuff effort when one-on-one with Schmeichel told the tale of a profligate evening.

Corners failed to beat the first man. Promising positions were frittered away. And when possession was surrendered, Aberdeen were left desperately exposed, notably for Celtic's second goal.

They simply got too much wrong, at too unforgiving a venue.

What they said

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "First half we weren't quite there on our pressing, and pressing is everything for us.

"We scored three goals and had some good moments but there were a number of ideas in the game we weren't overly happy with at half-time.

"Second half we were excellent, much better in our pressing and they didn't have comfort in the game to play."

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin: "The first half was 3-0 but we created some really good chances. That cost us a lot and that's something we have to learn and improve.

"We have to improve in the duels, in the pressing, how we defended some areas of the pitch in transitions. We still have learning points and those were exposed today.

"That's the journey we are on."

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