Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin admitted the team’s performance was unacceptable, as the Dons suffered their second defeat in four days.

Brendan Rodgers rested key players ahead of the Scottish Cup Final against the Reds, resulting in a 5-1 defeat for Celtic against Rangers at Ibrox.

The visitors made eight changes and still dominated the match at Pittodrie. Aberdeen’s hopes of finishing third in the Premiership were dashed after Hibs earned a point against St Mirren.

They now face a shootout with Dundee United for fourth place on Saturday, with the Terrors three points behind but with a higher goal difference.

Reflecting on the defeat, Thelin stated: “As a manager, I must consider what we can do now, along with the players, to improve our performance against Celtic in two weeks.

“First and foremost, we must focus on Dundee United on Saturday, as it is a crucial game for Europe.

 

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“Myself, the staff, and the players have discussed it in the dressing room, and of course it is not acceptable – even though Celtic is a very strong team – to lose five goals at home, at Pittodrie, is something we will not do again.

“Celtic is a good team, and when they arrived in the last third, they were very sharp, and it’s up to us to help ourselves deny those situations.

“They were really good and we have to believe we can find the situations in the final, but for now we have to focus on Dundee United.”

Maik Nawrocki opened the scoring in the first half, with Kevin Nisbet responding late in the first 45 before Yang Hyun-Jun restored Celtic’s lead in the seventh minute of added time.

The Hoops then ran riot, with Luke McCowan and Johnny Kenny – making his first start for the club – extending their lead to 4-1 inside the first 10 minutes of the second half, before Adam Idah added a fifth in the 94th minute.

Aberdeen finished with 10 men after Spurs loanee Alfie Dorrington was sent off for two bookings, the latter for a late foul on Idah.

But it was Pape Gueye’s challenge on Reo Hatate, who was forced off injured and wearing an ice pack just below his knee, that irritated the Celtic manager.

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Rodgers stated: “It was an unnecessary challenge. The free kick was given, and the ball ran away – Reo was just relaxing and stopping it, and the guy lost his head and just kicked through and block-tackled him, so hopefully it’s not too serious.

“That was an outstanding performance. Naturally, I am very pleased. I’ve always said that any changes I make should not affect the team’s structure. We’ve decided how we want to play. The players understand the structure and our expectations.

“It all comes from a basis of real hard work and pressing which allows us to play at the tempo we want to.”

When asked if the result would have an impact on when the sides met again in the Scottish Cup final a week later on Saturday, Rodgers replied, “That’s for Aberdeen.

“From my perspective, I am very pleased with the performance. For me, this was still a big game for us, which we won.”

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