Celtic vs Aberdeen Prediction: Dons to finally face day of reckoning

A place in the Scottish League Cup final is the prize awaiting the winner of the first semi-final between Celtic and Aberdeen at Hampden Park on Saturday (17:30, live on Premier Sports 1).

They can't be separated in the Premiership table and they drew 2-2 at Parkhead just two weeks ago - but Celtic have a Hampden hex over the Dons that goes back 32 years. Read on for my Celtic vs Aberdeen prediction, as well as the latest odds and team news.

Football Odds

Team News

Callum McGregor, Adam Idah, and Nicolas Kuhn all missed out on Celtic's 2-0 win over Dundee on Wednesday night, but all are available, according to manager Brendan Rodgers.

For Aberdeen, midfielder Dante Polvara has recovered from his hamstring strain and could be included in a squad for the first time this season.

Striker Kevin Nisbet, who limped out of the 2-2 draw at Celtic two weeks ago, is fit again while fellow frontman Duk, who hobbled off on Wednesday in the 2-1 win over Rangers, is expected to be okay. Star striker Papa Habib Gueye, however, is out until the New Year.

Celtic vs Aberdeen Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Celtic vs Aberdeen page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match

The two teams cannot be separated in the league table but they can be in the betting with Celtic a 1/4 chance and Aberdeen 8/1.

It was 2-2 when they met in the Premiership two weeks ago and the draw is available at 9/2 while a repeat scoreline is 18/1.

Celtic to win both halves @ 6/4

Scottish football's two winning machines meet at Hampden Park with a League Cup final place up for grabs, and while they are evidently inseparable this might just be the moment Celtic break ranks.

Almost a year after Celtic thrashed Aberdeen 6-0, just the latest episode in what had always been a one-sided fixture, the gap has closed.

They have met three times since and all were draws. Indeed, the 2-2 draw between them at Parkhead last month actually represented the worst result of the season for Jimmy Thelin's Dons, who have won the other 15 of their 16 fixtures.

The most recent of those was Wednesday night's 2-1 triumph over Rangers at Pittodrie, further proof that the Premiership duopoly looks like it's going to be disrupted this season.

Top spot, however, is currently occupied by Celtic - on goal difference in the league - because they too are doing nothing wrong. And there's a sense they still have muscles yet to be flexed.

They haven't lost any of their last nine showdowns with Aberdeen at Hampden Park and while this looks a far better Dons' squad than in living memory, the Old Firm powers still have an edge.

In that 2-2 draw last month, Celtic had 24 more shots than Aberdeen, 17 more corners and twice as much possession. Aberdeen were solid and resilient - but they rode their luck, too. And you can surely only ride it so many times.

Take Celtic to win both halves at 6/4, something they have done seven times this term already.

Daizen Maeda anytime scorer @ 9/5 

Six-goal Daizen Maeda is enjoying a decent campaign in a team who have yet to lose in domestic football, and the Japanese winger can find the target at Hampden.

Rodgers is spoiled for options in attack but Maeda is expected to start in a side that is averaging almost three goals and over 22 shots in every match.

Maeda will get chances and back him at 9/5 to take one.

Offers

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