Boyata winner sends Celtic 25 points clear

Defender’s header enough to stretch hosts’ unbeaten start to 28 games

Dedryck Boyata headed his second goal in three games to earn Celtic victory over Aberdeen and send the Ladbrokes Premiership leaders 25 points clear of closest rivals Rangers.

The Belgian defender has seized his chance after stepping in for the banned Erik Sviatchenko against Albion Rovers and he netted his second winner in only his fifth appearance of the season.

Without a recognised striker, Celtic had toiled to break the Dons down before Boyata converted Scott Sinclair’s 57th-minute free-kick, but Aberdeen had offered little sign that they could stop their hosts stretching their record unbeaten start to a domestic season to 28 games.

Brendan Rodgers had emerged from the transfer window with his team intact but he was without Stuart Armstrong, Tom Rogic, Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths through injury.

The Celtic manager experimented with his formation in their absence. Mikael Lustig, Jozo Simunovic and Boyata formed a back three with James Forrest and Kieran Tierney deployed as attacking wing-backs, while Sinclair and Callum McGregor supported Patrick Roberts up front. With Scott Brown and Nir Bitton sitting in midfield, Celtic at times looked like they had an oldfashioned five-man forward line as they hemmed Aberdeen in for long spells.

But for all their possession, they struggled to get in behind the visitors. Neither side managed a shot on target in the first half and each only came close once when Tierney and then Graeme Shinnie fired just off target.

The best first-half opening came in the 39th minute when a one-two between McGregor and Roberts sent the latter away but Ryan Jack’s sliding interception stopped the on-loan Manchester City player’s square ball reaching Sinclair.

The second half started in the same fashion with Aberdeen containing their hosts but the breakthrough came after Tierney won a free-kick on the left flank. Sinclair curled the ball in and Boyata escaped Ash Taylor with a near-post run to head into the roof of the net.

Sinclair then curled a shot on to the bar as the visitors’ attempts to stop Celtic grew increasingly desperate. Shinnie and Taylor were booked for fouls before Mark Reynolds survived a penalty appeal when McGregor went down.

When Celtic did manage to break beyond the visitors, Sinclair and Roberts both shot wide.

Aberdeen offered a vague threat as the game went into the final 15 minutes and Andrew Considine got a header on target, but Craig Gordon saved.

Celtic: Gordon, Lustig, Boyata, Simunovic, Tierney, McGregor (Henderson 79), Brown, Bitton, Forrest (Mackay-Steven 71), Roberts (Sviatchenko 87), Sinclair. Subs not used: Izaguirre, Gamboa, De Vries, Aitchison.

Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan (Pawlett 90), Considine, Taylor, Reynolds (Stockley 86), McGinn, Jack, McLean, Shinnie, Hayes, Rooney (Storey 76). Subs not used: O’ Connor, Alexander, Wright, Ross.

Referee: John Beaton.

Picture: SNS. Dedryck Boyata’s header flies past Aberdeen keeper Joe Lewis and into the net.

Scott Sinclair: hit the bar with a curling shot as Celtic pressed for a second goal.