Reo Hatate makes Celtic champions elect already as Aberdeen cut adrift in Pittodrie storm – 5 talking points

Reo Hatate struck a late winner as Celtic survived the Granite City gales to storm seven points clear at the top of the Premiership.

The midfielder pounced with just 13 minutes remaining at Pittodrie as the top two battled it out in wet and wild conditions with winds gusting up to 50mph. Celts were made to scrap it out as Jimmy Thelin's men pushed the Parkhead side all the way. But it was Hatate’s clinical moment of quality that was the difference as Brendan Rodgers' side stretched their lead at the summit and, whisper it, maybe even made them champions-elect.

Paulo Bernardo saw a goal direct from a corner kick ruled out for a foul on ex-Celtic keeper Ross Doohan – who made several smart stops after coming in for crocked Dimitar Mitov. But he couldn’t prevent the late breakthrough as the Celtic pressure told in the end on a pulsating night at packed Pittodrie. Doohan was lucky not to be crocked himself inside the opening three minutes. The keeper suffered a sore one after Kyogo’s knee caught him right in the chops, but he recovered to continue.

It was Aberdeen who started on the front foot though and Duk forced Kasper Schmeichel to block with his legs before Kevin Nisbet fired the rebound wide. The Dons were getting right in Celtic’s faces and refused to let them to settle, looking to sit deep and then pounce on the break.

Rodgers’ side dominated the ball in the first half but couldn’t quite find a cutting edge – with Alistair Johnston’s header blocked on the line by Jamie McGrath the closest they came. Paulo Bernardo stuck one in the net straight from a corner – but the goal was ruled out with Daizen Maeda muscling Doohan out of the way.

The Hoops threatened again after the break when Nicolas Kuhn cured just over from