MX23RW : Tuesday, April 23 17:33:04| >> :600:423178:423178:
[monks data]
Attendance: 14,135
Aberdeen logo
Scottish Premiership | Gameweek 27
Feb 16, 2020 at 12pm UK
 
Celtic logo

1-2

Taylor (27')
FT(HT: 1-1)
McGregor (10'), Ajer (81')

Derek McInnes: 'Celtic hunger behind good form'

Derek McInnes: 'Celtic hunger behind good form'
© Reuters
The Hoops are 10 points clear at the top of the table.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes feels Celtic's hunger has been a key factor in their impressive start to 2020.

Celtic have won all eight of their matches this year and extended their lead at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership to 10 points ahead of their trip to Pittodrie on Sunday after taking their recent goal tally to 22 in six league matches.

The likes of Ryan Christie – who netted 17 club goals before the winter break – and the influential Tom Rogic have struggled to get a place in Neil Lennon's starting line-up and McInnes feels that strength in depth is firing them on.

McInnes said: "Any time we play Celtic they always seem to be in good form. What I see in this Celtic team is not only the attacking threats that they have always possessed but there seems to be a hunger about them which they have probably needed in the last few weeks.

"The options Neil has have maybe helped with that because you see so many good players not even make the bench and good players who have been playing who are now on the bench."

Celtic hit four first-half goals on their previous trip to Pittodrie but Aberdeen made a game of the return fixture before going down 2-1 after having Sam Cosgrove sent off.

McInnes said: "When you come up against a team with so many good players and attacking threats, for us it's about getting the balance right between attacking and defending.

"We are the home team and we have to carry that threat but we also have to make sure – as we were at Celtic Park a couple of months ago – that we are closer to them. We defended well and competed well and I actually thought we deserved a point against them.

"There's a lot to be impressed with Celtic and the form they are in but we can't go into the game just waxing lyrical about Celtic.

"We have to concentrate on our own need for points and our performance and hopefully the performance mirrors a lot of what we had that day at Celtic Park, because if we do that we are capable of getting a positive result."

ID:389783: cacheID:389783:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3381:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Sam Cosgrove in action for Aberdeen on December 2, 2018
Read Next:
Derek McInnes: Dropping Sam Cosgrove was for his own benefit
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic000080265478
2RangersRangers000072234975
3Hearts000046341262
4Kilmarnock00004334951
5St Mirren00003843-543
6Dundee00004454-1041
Relegation Group
1Hibernian00004451-739
2Motherwell00004651-537
3Aberdeen00003549-1435
4St Johnstone00002446-2231
5Ross County00003256-2430
6Livingston00002259-3718
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!