PERFECT TEN

Champions record another win against Dons to banish Europa woe

KIERAN TIERNEY demonstrated he is the fastest player at Celtic with his clinching goal in the 2-0 win at Aberdeen, according to boss Brendan Rodgers.

Striker Moussa Dembele put the visitors in front with a header in the 37th minute at Pittodrie before the Hoops were reduced to 10 men in the 76th minute when right-back Mikael Lustig was sent off by referee Bobby Madden for a second booking.

However, in the 83rd minute Tierney, right, finished a classic breakaway with a powerful strike to take the Hoops nine points clear of Rangers at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Dons substitute Sam Cosgrove, on for Stevie May in the 76th minute to make his debut, was shown a straight red card for a lunge at Scott Brown just after Celtic’s second goal.

Rodgers claimed his skipper was on the wrong end of a “naughty challenge” by Cosgrove but was happy with the way his side coped when down to 10 men and with Tierney’s goal.

He said: “We have a plan when we go down to 10 men.

“We did it before at Hamilton. The players under- stand the shape of the team when we go down to 10.

“Lots of players would just hook the ball away but

Odsonne (Edouard) takes a touch, plays it out and then the speed of the four players breaking forward was great.

“Kieran wins the race, a great pass by Moussa and he shows why he is the quickest player in our squad. Officially.

“To run so quick and shoot with that power is fantastic.”

Rangers had appeared to apply some pressure on Celtic by winning 2-0 against Hearts at Ibrox on Saturday. The Hoops were knocked out of the Europa League by Zenit St Petersburg on Thursday night but they showed their domestic prowess once again. Rodgers said: “It was a brilliant win, 72 hours back from Russia, arguably the toughest place to come away to so soon after that.

“I thought we dealt with everything really well. It was another signpost to where we want to go.”

It was Celtic’s 10th successive win over Aberdeen – nine under Rodgers – and Dons boss Derek Mcinnes bemoaned a “couple of moments of madness” in the game.

He said: “We were guilty of a couple of moments of madness. Sam Cosgrove has got caught up in the game.

“It looked for me like a red card, I haven’t seen it again but what I am hearing, it is a red card.

“There has to be that restraint there, as keen as he is to make an impression.

“At 1-0, we had a couple of chances to put the ball in the box and ask the question and Celtic counter on us.

“Not many teams have the quality to punish you but Celtic do - but when we are taking a set play, we have to be better when that ball comes out.

“We slit our own throat in terms of the second goal.”