We were a bit flat, it’s human nature LENNON DRAWING COMFORT
CELTIC PARK
It was the first Ladbrokes Premiership points dropped at home this season, but Celtic returned eight points clear of Rangers at the top of the table and still on course for an eighth successive title and the unprecedented domestic treble treble.
Asked about the performance, the Northern Irishman said: “OK, a little bit flat, a little big leggy, I understand that.
“It is natural. You have that adrenaline rush for a couple of days, there is always going to be a bit of a lull afterwards
“They are human beings, not robots, and I understand that, and I again thanked them for their performance.
“It is more psychological than anything else. They lacked that little bit of pizzazz in the final third.
“But we have had three really difficult games to negotiate in 10 days and we have come out of it unscathed, and we will get them together after a couple of days’ rest and move forward.
“We take a point, we are still unbeaten (domestically) since the turn of the year.
“I would have loved to win the game and be 10 points clear but you can’t have everything and they are giving me everything.
“You have to give Aberdeen credit as well, they are a tough nut to crack sometimes.”
Aberdeen will take massive confidence from their display as they turn their attention to their Scottish Cup quarter-final replay against Rangers at Ibrox on Tuesday night.
Chances were hard to come by yesterday but there was a huge penalty shout from the home crowd when Oliver Burke went down under challenge from Andy Considine.
The game needed a moment of brilliance to open things up. Ajer striding up to unleash a low shot which Joe Lewis just managed to push wide. It would be the closest either side would come to making the breakthrough in a quiet first half hour.
Then right on the stroke of half-time, Ajer would have another go. This time, the centre-half bulleted a header into the net from a free kick, but the flag was up for offside.
Celtic had dominated in terms of possession in the first half but there was a much more even feel to the early stages of the second half.
First, Aberdeen worked their way into the Celtic box, Ball with a near-post shot well saved by Scott Bain. And at the other end there was a chance from a similar angle for Celtic substitute Edouard, but Lewis made the block.
Timothy Weah had a great chance for Celtic from a header but he misjudged his leap slightly and the chance was gone.
Another substitute, Mikey Johnston, then flashed an effort across the face of the Aberdeen goal. Minutes later he would squander another chance, firing well wide.
Ferguson would test Bain with a free-kick from 20 yards and there was an even better chance for Stevie May in the 90th minute, but his header from just four yards out flew high over the bar.