CALLUM McGREGOR and his Celtic team-mates have two Premiership games – and a potential six points – before they see red next month.
The champions return to action after the international break with a 7.45pm kick-off against Hearts at Tynecastle a week on Saturday.
Seven days later – with a midweek home encounter against Club Brugge in Europe’s elite competition sandwiched in between – Brendan Rodgers’ side will host Ross County.
And then the Hoops will see red at Pittodrie on Wednesday December 4 where the visitors could be potentially trailing Jimmy Thelin’s resolute side by the time the game is played.
RED ALERT…Celtic and Aberdeen players prepare to line up before this month’s Premier Sports League Cup semi-final – with the Hoops just 90 minutes away from a breathtaking 6-0 triumph.
The Dons have three league matches – all away from home against St Mirren, Hibs and Hearts – before they lock horns with the Parkhead men for the third time this season.
They fought back to gain a 2-2 draw with Celtic in the east end of Glasgow last month – the only points either side have shed after 11 Premier games this campaign – but were well and truly thrashed when they met again in the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final as McGregor led his players to a resounding 6-0 victory.
The north-east club had no answer to the firepower of their opponents at Hampden as Daizen Maeda walloped in a hat-trick and Cameron Carter-Vickers, Kyogo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kuhn piled on the agony.
At the moment, the Hoops, bidding for their fourth successive title and their 55th crown in history, are ahead only on goal difference with a superior striking rate of plus 14.
The Dons enjoyed a home win as they overwhelmed Dundee 4-1 on Saturday night before the champions had to dig deep to beat a stubborn Kilmarnock side 2-0 at Rugby Park the following day with McGregor and man-of-the-moment Kuhn on target.
DELIGHT – AND DISMAY…a joyous Daizen Maeda celebrates his hat-trick in the 6-0 Hampden mauling of the Dons with Adam Idah about to add his congratulations. Beaten duo Kevin Rubezic and Nicky Devlin can only wonder what hit them.
The club’s onfield leader is aware of the threat from elsewhere and said: “Yeah, well I think we’re always there, whether it’s Aberdeen, Rangers, we’re always tight at this stage in the season.
“We know what we’re doing, we’ve been over the course many, many times. We know it’s about us, and how we prepare, and how we train, and then when the game comes around, it’s an opportunity to show what we’ve been doing all week.
“That just all builds and culminates come the end of the season.
“So, we feel good where we are, there are teams challenging and that’s great – it just keeps us ultra sharp and focused.”
McGregor, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “It’s been a really positive start, obviously drawing one game, probably should have won that as well, to be honest, but a strong start.
“But we’re only one third of the way there and a lot of work is still to be done, so we’re happy with where we are at the minute, but we know that we can always get better.
“There’s a long, long way to go, a lot of football to be played. The boys are in a really good place.”
HE’S BEHIND YOU…Dons boss Jimmy Thelin watches in dismay as his side are shredded by Celtic at Hampden while Brendan Rodgers finds time to take notes.
McGregor added: “The gaffer’s built a really strong squad. He’s got options and obviously the guys who are in the team and they do well, they want to stay in.
“The guys who are on the side, they’re desperate to get in and help the boys, as well.
“I’ve always spoken about it, competition for places. It’s a strong squad, it’s exactly what you need, especially at this point in the season.
“Obviously, when we come back from the international break, we’ll need every single player.”
Plus there is an ominous challenge from Pittodrie to overcome early next month.
First things first, though, and that will be returning from the capital with three points after the meeting with Hearts and then the domestic focus continues with the visit of the Dingwall club.
And then the red peril can be addressed.
