Aberdeen v Celtic – “First goal gives you about a 78% chance of winning,” Peter Leven

Mar 4, 2026 - 23:32

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Aberdeen v Celtic – “First goal gives you about a 78% chance of winning,” Peter Leven

Aberdeen’s interim manager Peter Leven just couldn’t stop talking about how brilliant the Rangers were against Celtic in the 2-2 draw at Ibrox on Sunday afternoon…

Ariel view of Pittodrie Stadium after the match, Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 14 May 2025. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Speaking at the Aberdeen FC pre-match media conference ahead of tonight’s re-arranged Premiership match at Pittodrie, the blue-nosed Dons boss plans to copy the Danny Rohl’s tactics tonight as he looks to put a major dent in Celtic’s title ambitions.

Aberdeen interim manager Peter Leven during the Scottish Premiership match between Rangers and Aberdeen at Ibrox on January 06, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Even the slightest bit of praise for Celtic is quickly qualified with a disparaging remark.

When asked about Aberdeen’s opponents this evening Leven somewhat inaccurately highlighted Celtic need for late winners to win games and as a resulted he reckons we’re actually struggling. Has he looked at his own record since taking over from Jimmy Thelin?

Kieran Tierney celebrates after scoring at Ibrox. theRangers v Celtic. 1st March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

On Celtic, Peter Leven said: “They always keep going to the end, but away from home they’ve struggled a wee bit, but they’re still getting late goals, like at Kilmarnock and against Livingston. But we’ve got to take full advantage of being at home.”

Reo Hatate scores at Ibrox. theRangers 2 Celtic 2. Sunday 1st March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

Referencing the Glasgow Derby at Ibrox on Sunday he wants his team to play like the Rangers.

“I thought it was a game of two halves against (the)Rangers the other day, so we’ve got to take advantage of what (the)Rangers did in the first half as well.”

Later in his media conference he returned to the subject of the Champions.

“Celtic are a good team, but we’re also a good team on our day. We need to bring it tomorrow.

“It needs to be a 95-minute performance, we need that. We haven’t had many of those this season. But we’re at home. A good team, but we shouldn’t fear anybody, this is a huge club, the boys should know that and anyone coming to Pittodrie should be in for a tough game.

Peter Leven, Interim Manager of Aberdeen, looks on prior to the Scottish Cup Semi Final match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 20, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“We’ve got to have a belief in the system, belief in each other, they’ve got to work hard. At times yes you need a bit of luck. There are good players in this team, but they’ve all got to bring it on the same day and fight for each other, that is most important.

“I’ve said it before, the first goal gives you about a 78% chance of winning the game. It’s huge if you can start fast. As I said (the) Rangers started fast against them, but it was a game of two halves.

“Can we continue it for longer periods, and hopefully we can get the result.”

Aberdeen v Celtic Cinch Scottish Premiership 03-02-2024. Aberdeen and Celtic fans during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen, Scotland on 3 February 2024. Photo Stephen Dobson PSI

Did anyone bother to tell him that theRangers got the first two goals against Celtic, and indeed so did Kilmarnock and neither could go onto win the game. That the 78% theory out the window.

That’s why we’re usually Champions Peter.

Aberdeen supporters haven’t seen a home win over Celtic in a decade and with the terrible season they are enduring which has already cost the Scottish Cup winning manager Jimmy Thelin his job, you wonder how many empty seats there will be in the home stands tonight. Probably quite a lot.

4th December 2024; Pittodrie Stadium, Scottish Premiership, Aberdeen versus Celtic; The Celtic support at Pittodrie, Photo Vagelis Georgariou

That means that there will be no wall of sound coming from the home support in a match that Martin O’Neill knows his side needs to win. There will be plenty of enthusiasm in the away end – as there always is – and the 1800 or so travelling Celtic supporters will back the team from start to finish.

Three points please Bhoys.

COYBIG

Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr. Click on image to order