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By KEVIN MCKENNA Published: 06: 01 AEDT, 22 December 2025 | Updated: 06: 04 AEDT, 22 December 2025 1 View comments Wilfried Nancy could be forgiven for looking a little bewildered as a strange sound greeted the full-time whistle at Celtic Park this afternoon. For the first time since arriving at the club, the Frenchman heard cheers coming from the Celtic supporters. He's certainly not used to it. At the fifth time of asking, he has finally got a win under his belt. He may well have saved his job as well. Nancy has resembled a dead man walking ever since he stepped into the dugout, and were it not for two late, late goals here, there's every chance this would have been the last time we saw him on the sidelines. That's how close this came to being another almighty disaster in a season absolutely full of them. A large band of supporters gathered outside the main doors ahead of kick-off to once again vent their frustrations over the men running the show behind the scenes. Manager Wilfried Nancy looks to the heavens after Celtic regain the lead against Aberdeen Celtic defender Kiernan Tierney races off to celebrate scoring their second goal in a 2-1 victory Peter Lawwell has already been forced to stand down, but in their eyes, a few more have to follow. This result will do little to calm the storm amongst the fans. Celtic have issues to solve behind the scenes, of that there is no doubt. But there are all sorts of problems on the park too, as evidenced here. A goal to the good and up against 10 men for the entire second half, Celtic made life so hard for themselves. In many ways, it was a kind of performance we've become accustomed to seeing under Nancy. There's been plenty of scrutiny over his tactics, but there's little he can do when the players on the pitch continue to make basic individual errors - at both ends of the pitch. For all his faults - and there are certainly a few to choose from - the manager hasn't had much luck in that respect. Maybe, for his sake, that will start to turn now. On another day, this could have been a pasting for Aberdeen. Perhaps it should have been given how little they offered. Jimmy Thelin can't have any complaints over the scoreline, albeit there will be a tinge of disappointment that his side couldn't get a rare point in Glasgow's east end. Benjamin Nygren carved out the game's first opportunity, driving into the Dons box before firing over the bar. He should have done much better. The Swede was involved moments later as Celtic cut through the visitors' defence with alarming ease. His ball released Daizen Maeda in behind Dylan Lobban, and his cross was begging to be tapped home by Johnny Kenny from close range. Only he knows how he failed to make contact. The Irishman has a knack of getting into the right positions, but the final product is too often lacking. He had a nightmare at Tannadice midweek, and it was the same story here. That was the first of two gilt-edged chances which fell his way in the first half. He put the other well wide of target. Auston Trusty had to be sharp at the other end to thwart Marko Lazetic as the AC Milan loanee got set to pull the trigger. It was an intriguing battle all afternoon between the two of them. CELTIC (3-4-2-1): Schmeichel 4; Ralston 6 (Donovan 82), Trusty 5, Tierney 7; Yang 6 (Forrest 70), Mc Gregor 6, Engels 6, Mc Cowan 6 (Scales 69); NYGREN 7. 5, Maeda 7; Kenny 5 (Yamada 70). Booked: Engels Manager: Wilfried Nancy 6 ABERDEEN (5-4-1): Mitov 6. 5; Lobban 3, Devlin 5, Milne 6, Knoester 6, Jensen 6 (Nisbet 89); Keskinen 5 (Gyamfi 54), Aouchiche 4 (Kjartansson 68), Armstrong 4, Karlsson 5 (Shinnie 54); Lazetic 5 (Bilalovic 68). Booked: Armstrong, Jensen. Sent off: Lobban. Manager: Jimmy Thelin 4 Referee: David Dickinson 6 Maeda should have put the hosts in front just before the half-hour mark. Dimitar Mitov made a pig's ear of gathering an Arne Engels corner, dropping the ball right at the feet of the Japanese. Somehow, his first-time strike from six yards flew wide. It was a quite astonishing miss. The Dons keeper then collected himself to turn a Nygren effort round the post as Celtic threatened once again. Nygren did eventually break the deadlock on 40 minutes, slotting a Maeda cutback into the bottom corner. The response from the stands was one of relief more than anything else. They've been quick to get on Nygren's back throughout this campaign, incidentally. Some of the criticism is justified, but his stats are impressive nevertheless. This was his ninth goal in all competitions. What more are the supporters looking for from a man who cost around £1. 5m over the summer? He's been one of very few relative success stories this season. It got even better for Nancy's men before the interval. Mitov's attempted pass to Lobban was woeful, and ill-advised with Maeda in the vicinity. The Celtic striker took one touch to race clear, but was promptly pulled back by the full-back. A straight red card all day long. Mitov redeemed himself to an extent with three top-drawer stops to keep his side in the contest early in the second half. First, he got a strong hand to a Trusty header, before somehow clawing away Callum Mc Gregor's half-volley. Nygren's audacious dink then came back off the post with Aberdeen on the ropes. This could, and should, have been a far more comfortable afternoon for the hosts. Arne Engels headed against the upright with the goal at his mercy midway through the second period. It looked far easier to score. Mitov then dealt with a low drive from substitute James Forrest. Another chance gone. Celtic's vulnerability at the back has been well documented. In truth, they've been a shambles since Nancy came in the door. You always get the feeling that a howler - in whatever form - is never too far away. And true to form, they were cut open with minimal fuss as Aberdeen found a leveller from nowhere. Kjartan Mar Kjartansson came out on top in a scrap with Maeda on the halfway line, before getting his head up to thread a delightful ball into the path of fellow sub Kenan Bilalovic, who wasn't spotted by Trusty. Ref David Dickinson sends off Aberdeen's Dylan Lobban just before half-time at Celtic Park Kasper Schmeichel didn't cover himself in glory. The big Dane is another whose performances have fallen off a cliff of late, and looked sluggish as he came off his line to meet Kjartansson. He got a hand to the striker's effort, but it wasn't enough to keep it out. Nancy may well have needed security to get out of the stadium had this ended in a draw. Thankfully for him, Kieran Tierney came to the rescue, heading in a Colby Donovan ball at the back post with stoppage-time looming. Forrest swept home from Mc Gregor's pullback to net for the 17th consecutive season. It gave the reigning champions some much-needed breathing space and enabled them to stay within touching distance of Hearts, who swatted Rangers aside earlier in the day. Tough tests are still to come in the form of trips to Livingston and Motherwell, before the second Old Firm derby on January 3. But this is at the very least something to build on for Nancy. The pressure, even if it is just for a few days, has been lifted somewhat.
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